SAN JOSE DEL MONTE – The participants of Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan in San Jose del Monte recently harvested their 12-week season-long high value fruits and vegetables.
A total of 201 participants in 54 barangays of the city were able to finish the 12-week lecture and hands-on technological training on production of high value crops provided by the SM Foundation Inc. and training provider HarBest Agribusiness Corporation.
In photos are the participants of Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan program together with the staff of SM City San Jose del Monte, SM Supermarket, Savemore, SM Foundation and HarBest Agribusiness Corporation.
The Harvest Festival was held at Villar Sipag Farm School. After harvesting, the KSK participants were divided into four groups and competef in friendly parlor games and cooking competition using their high-value vegetables.
To acknowledge the efforts of the participants and all the people behind the program, a graduation ceremony was held in SM City San Jose del Monte that was graced by Senator Cynthia Villar, the Chairperson of Committee on Agriculture who emphasized the importance of mechanization in farming.
The senator stressed the study of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies that one of the causes of non-competitiveness of our farmers is lack of mechanization.
“We are solving the root of the problem, which is the lack of technology, lack of mechanization, lack of financial literacy, and lack of ability to access social credit,” Senator Villar said.
In cooperation with the local government of San Jose del Monte, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and SM City San Jose del Monte, the participants learned not only how to produce high value crops but also the business and management side of farming.
