With the advent of modern practices, agriculture is undergoing a transformation, emerging as a field ripe with profitability and positive impact.

This was also the hope of visionary and SM Group founder Henry Sy Sr., when he established SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan on Sustainable Agriculture program in 2007.

Since its inception, the program has been empowering low-income farmers by providing training in modern farming techniques. KSK has equipped nearly 30,000 individuals across the Philippines with the tools and knowledge to improve their livelihoods and foster food security in their communities.

Today, many KSK graduates have found success as agripreneurs, including Virgie Gonda, a KSK Batch 221 alumna from Tarlac City.

With years of tilling the same soil, yielding a meager harvest of P10,000 despite tireless sweat, Virgie knew it was time to plant new seeds of hope.

She took the opportunity to learn modern farming techniques from KSK with SM Foundation’s partner school St. Isidore “the FARMer” Learning Center Inc., a decision that would change her life. Through the 14-week training period, she absorbed everything there is to learn — from farming techniques to the basics of business.

“KSK, taught us how to make organic fertilizers. It helped us considerably cut the cost. Since our seminar, our yield dramatically improved. We also learned how to deal with rice off-season through vegetable-planting techniques,” she shared.