The number of beneficiaries of the SM Foundation Inc.’s (SMFI) Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farming Program (KSKFP) reached 32,359 as of last year, according to its yearbook “Social Good Report 2024.”

The KSKFP’s graduates came from 1,009 cities and municipalities, and SMFI conducted 418 training sessions from the corporate social responsibility arm of the SM Group.

Some of the graduates are now seasonal suppliers for the SM group and local markets.

One of them is Dan Sotelo of Barangay San Miguel, Talakag, Bukidnon.

Since October 2024, Sotelo and his fellow KSKFP farmers from Barangay San Miguel and nearby village of Miarayon have been supplying bell peppers, potatoes, carrots and other produce to the SM City CDO Uptown and SM CDO Downtown.

Sotelo attributes the business opportunity to his KSKFP training that equipped him and others with essential knowledge and skills in modern agricultural practices, financial literacy, and livelihood development, leading to a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh perspective on farming.

“Previously, driven by a gambling mindset and reliant on the short-term gains of synthetic fertilizers, he and his fellow farmers are now embracing the long-term benefits of sustainable agriculture,” the “Social Good Report 2024” says of Sotelo.

“He has transitioned to organic farming, creating his own organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides using natural ingredients like neem, sunflower concoctions, baking soda and vinegar-based fungicides. This approach not only helps them optimize their resources but also safeguards the long-term health of their land.”

“My views and confidence in farming changed. We can now plant crops with a not so big capital at the start as long as you know proper farming techniques, strategy and the potential of organic farming,” he adds.

SMFI counts 66 KSKFP graduates who are selling produce to farmers’ markets.

Aside from selling, KSK graduates have established local social enterprises or supply produce within their own communities — contributing to rural development and promoting food sustainability at the grassroots level.