Backyard Gardening Mom Transitions into an Agri-preneur

For many,farming is a way of life. They
gain a profound sense of
purpose when they cultivate the land, plant seeds,
and harvest fruits and vegetables that will nourish
not just their families but
an entire community.
It has also since
emerged as a viable social
enterprise. Through trainings, farmers have learned
business principles and
saw livelihood and entrepreneurial growth opportunities while also becoming aware of the impact of
their choices on the environment.
Cristina Lumor-Pabro, a Kabalikat sa
Kabuhayan on Sustainable Agriculture Program
(KSK-SAP) farmer, knows
just this. After becoming
a KSK-SAP farmer, she
felt that a career in farming offered her a sense of
purpose, community, and fulfilment.

Pathway to a fulfilling life
As the family matriarch,
Christina chose to get
a job with a consistent
monthly salary, entering a
casual position in a local
government despite her
passion for planting.
“Ako po’y nagta-trabaho bilang empleyado, ngunit hindi po sapat ang kinikita ko para sa
aming pamilya. Sa kabila
ng mga pagsubok at lungkot, nakahiligan ko pong
magtanim sa aming likod
bahay. Lumiligaya po ako
tuwing nagtatanim ako,”
Christina said.
In 2019, she
learned about SM Foundation’s KSK-SAP and
was part of the program’s
batch 188–an opportunity that would soon be her

pathway to a fulfilling life.
From a humble backyard planter, she
became an agri-preneur
equipped with farming
and marketing know-how
and was empowered to
cultivate the small plot of
land they owned using her
knowledge from the training.

Mula sa simpleng backyard gardening, nagkaroon ako ng
dagdag kaalaman tungkol sa tamang proseso
at pamamaraan ng pagtatanim. Dito ko rin mas
na-appreciate ang pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan
na nagbibigay buhay sa
atin kaya’t sinisikap ko po
ang pagco-compost upang makagawa ng organic
na fertilizer,” she shared.
KSK-SAP opened more
doors for her.
It was her pathway to becoming a member of farmers’ associations–groups that later
became her family where
she shared her farming
knowledge. To further support her farming endeavors years after KSK, she

also registered with the
Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) to become a
Barangay Micro Business
Enterprise (BMBE).
“Nagkaroon ako
ng community na lagi kong
nakakasalamuha. Masaya
kami tuwing aani na kami
ng pananim dahil nasa
puso ko po talaga ang
pagtatanim. Kaya’t simula
noong sumali ako sa KSK,
nagiging masaya ako sa
kabila ng bawat pagsubok
ng buhay,” she said.
Aside from allowing her to do what her
heart desires, the opportunity paved by KSK-SAP
provided her a reliable,
additional income. She
now actively joins local
trade fairs and SM’s farmer’s market initiatives, including the SM Sunday
Market. The money she
earns from selling fruits
and vegetables goes beyond sustaining the needs
of her family–she utilizes
it to support and improve
her farm. “Malaking tulong sa aming mga KSK
farmers ang SM Sunday
Market. Dito namin naipa

kikita na quality ang aming
pananim. Fresh o bagong
pitas ang mga ito kaya na
ibebenta namin sa aming
mga customers sa patas
na halaga. Dahil sa maayos na kita, nakakatulong
ito para mapalago ang
aming farm at maisaayos
ang buhay ng mga kapwa
kong magtatanim,” she
said.
Today, the program continues to serve
as her inspiration: “Kaya’t
naging inspirasyon ko
ang KSK. Isinapuso ko
ang programa dahil alam
kong makakatulong ito
para umunlad ang aking
buhay. Sa pagtatanim ko
rin natutunan na kayang
maging matatag anumang
pagsubok ang dumating
sa buhay.”
Since 2007, the KSK-SAP
has fueled the farming and
entrepreneurial capabilities of over 28,000 marginalized rural and urban
farmers nationwide. Some
of the farmers’ training
graduates have become
seasonal suppliers within