(The Philippine Star) | Updated June 29, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Conceptualized to help bring food and increase income from vegetable farming, SM Foundation launched its Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’ Training Program in Typhoon Yolanda-devastated Tanauan, Leyte and Borbon, Cebu; earthquake-damaged Loon, Bohol; and in Zamboanga City, affected by the conflict between the military and Muslim rebels.

The season-long farmers’ training programs in these areas have been completed.

In Tanauan, Leyte early this month a harvest festival and graduation ceremony was held at Barangay Pago, with 108 participants from the municipalities of Tanauan, Barugo and Babatngon getting their certificates of completion of lectures and hands-on activities where they were taught organic farming.

Camaraderie and friendship were forged in the duration of the training. Thus, aside from being a venue for learning new farming technology, the training also helped build new relationships.

Despite the challenges they encountered, the participants initiated the establishment of their own organization – the Samahan ng mga Magsasaka sa Tanauan, Barugo at Babatngon.

The DSWD, through director Georgina Hernandez, pledged to help the participants with a social preparation module that would train them to become entrepreneurs and also give them training on value formation and financial literacy.

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Through Mungkahi Proyecto, non-interest, non-collateral loans payable within two years in staggered amounts, depending on their cropping cycle, would be made available to participating farmers.

The association would collect and deposit to the DSWD Landbank account payment of the loans.

Source: SM Foundation brings farmers’ training to calamity-stricken areas