KSK farmer-graduate provides food for her family, others through her produce
TARLAC—An SM Foundation Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) farmer-graduate Rosemarie Canda Cajuguiran of Capas, Tarlac shared how her learnings from the program proved to be useful, especially in times like this—amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Since the announcement of the Philippine government in mid-March of the conduct of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to curb the spread of COVID-19, Rosemarie considers herself and her family fortunate and blessed to have a secured source of food. She has planted and has been growing some vegetables even before the ECQ started.
(SM’s Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) on Sustainable Agriculture Program – Batch 216)
“Kahit naka-quarantine kami, kami ay nakakaraos at naitataguyod ng aming pananim. Napakinabangan namin ang mga natutunan ko sa KSK dahil naging marami at naging maganda ang aking mga ani,” Rosemarie shared.”
Her produce do not only guarantee food for her family’s table, but she also gives some to those who are in need, especially those who are greatly affected by the ECQ. “Kapag may humihingi, binibigyan ko sila. Kapag gusto naman talaga nilang bilhin, dinadagdagan ko na lang,” she stated.
(KSK farmer-graduate Rosemarie Canda Cajuguiran harvesting her produce)
Rosemarie humbly enumerated the food crops she planted and harvested: okra, eggplant, sweet potato, squash, corn, bitter gourd, bataw, patani, spinach, cabbage, saba, calamansi, and breadfruit.
She further shared that this program has opened a lot of opportunities for her and her family in terms of livelihood, “Noong ‘di pa nagla-lockdown, nakakapagtinda na kami sa munisipyo at nakakapag-deliver na rin sa Maynila. Kaya napakalaking tulong nitong KSK sa amin.”
She went on to express her gratitude to SM Foundation and extended her prayers for the nation to overcome this pandemic.
(KSK farmer-graduate Rosemarie Canda Cajuguiran harvesting her produce.)
Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) is SMFI’s Social Good program on sustainable agriculture which aims to uplift the lives of Filipinos in grassroots communities through sustainable agriculture via technology transfer, product development, and farm-market linkage.
