The SM Group keeps helping with inclusive development by giving smallholder farmers useful, long-lasting farming skills. This helps them improve their lives and make their communities more food secure.
The Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) Farming Program from the SM Foundation is at the heart of this project. It has trained 32,359 farmers. SM Foundation and the Philippine Geothermal Production Company, among others, have trained over 49,000 farmers across the country so far.
The KSK program will reach more rural areas in 2025, including parts of Visayas, Bicol, and Northern Mindanao that don’t get enough help. This will bring opportunities closer to where they are most needed.
Cristie Angeles, the SM Foundation’s Assistant Vice President for Livelihood and Outreach Programs, said, “We think that inclusive growth starts at the community level.” “We’re not only helping to secure local food supply chains by investing in smallholder farmers, but we’re also making it possible for people in rural areas to have better lives.”
KSK teaches people how to improve the quality and quantity of their crops by giving them hands-on experience with backyard and small-scale farming. More importantly, the program helps them connect with local markets and SM’s larger supplier network, which helps farming families form cooperatives and get more stable, long-term income.
The Asian Development Bank found that smallholder farmers are the backbone of food systems in developing countries. They make up 84% of all farms and grow almost a third of the world’s food. In the Philippines, where many people farm less than a hectare of land, having access to information, technology, and markets is very important.
To strengthen connections in the market, SM started the SM Weekend Market, a place where local farmers and agripreneurs can sell their goods directly in busy malls. The weekend market helps local farmers find new customers, including people who shop there every day and people who work or live in the mall.
SM cares about the community in all of its businesses. SM supports urban farming projects in collaboration with the Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC) and the Makiling Centre for Mountain Ecosystems. They do this by promoting sustainable gardening and finding long-term farm sites.
The SM Group’s larger mission is to be a partner for inclusive progress by making meaningful, inclusive opportunities that support rural development, create jobs, and boost local economies. These projects are part of that mission.