SM Foundation to expand agri training program

MANILA, Philippines - Encouraged by the success of its swine raising and free range chicken training programs for farmers, the SM Foundation is expanding its agriculture community-based training programs.

To be implemented this year are training programs on sugarcane juice processing; herbal processing and mangrove reforestation. These programs will be initially undertaken in collaboration with the municipal government of Nasugbu, Batangas; municipal agriculture office (MAO), municipal social welfare department, municipal health office, barangay officials and local community leaders, Harbest Agribusiness Corp., Carica Herbal, Superior F1 Free Range Genetics, Card Inc., Hamilo Coast and Manila Southcoast Development Corp.

From November last year until January this year, SM Foundation provided trainings on carabao raising, native/organic chicken raising and hog raising.

The carabao raising program was conducted by the Nasugbu MAO with beneficiaries coming from 10 households in Barangays Calayo, Bulihan, Papaya and Looc. This long-term project taught beneficiaries to plant napier grass for carabao feeds and to attend a carabao raising seminar. One female carabao was lent per household to be artificially inseminated. Once a calf is born, the mother carabao will be transferred to another household beneficiary.

The free-range chicken program was launched Nov.20, 2009 and will end on March 20 with 42 households from Barangays Looc and Bulihan as beneficiaries.

Three sets of 14 community women were trained on how to raise organic native chicken by Grimund Chicken expert Dr. Erwin Cruz. SM Foundation provides 40 chicks, 125 kilos of feeds and 25 kilos of corn and other essentials in raising chicken. Ownership of the chicks and supplies remains with the foundation until harvest time. Proceeds of the program will go to the beneficiaries and shall be solely used for supply replenishment thus ensuring livelihood’s sustainability.

For swine production, SM Foundation launched in November its hog dispersal program starting with Barangay Bulihan with 20 beneficiaries being given one female piglet each. After six months, the piglets are artificially inseminated by personnel from MAO then one (of every three) piglet will be returned to the Foundation which in turn awards the piglets to the next batch of beneficiaries.

The Herbal training program will be in collaboration with Carica Foundation and the Mangrove Reforestation will be undertaken to assist those who will take up livelihood business ventures along the shores like the Bantay Dagat Volunteer and Livelihood Assistance and Coastal Clean Up.  

The SM Foundation is taking steps to build skills training center and multipurpose hall so that all seminars pertaining to skills training and entrepreneurship will be centrally located in one venue.