Information and news about the USAID Growth with Equity in Mindanao III (GEM 3) Project

PATIKUL, SULU—John Usman, 39, never imagined himself extolling the virtues of vegetable farming before a crowd of former comrades-in-arms.

But earlier this year, he did just that. “Vegetable farming is good business. This will help us improve our incomes,” Usman said in the Tausug language to 40 men and women gathered in the community’s makeshift training center.

Usman spoke with the ease of a community leader and longtime farmer. He is also, however, a member of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who once eluded government forces in the jungles of Sulu.

Usman and his comrades’ transformation began in 1996 after the signing of the peace agreement between the national government and the MNLF. But laying down their arms was only the first step towards returning to mainstream society. For one thing, they needed to earn a living.

It was during this difficult period of transition that Usman and fellow MNLF members were provided with emergency livelihood assistance by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program. The assistance consisted of training and farm inputs to start seaweed production.

Usman and his comrades—all members of the Kasambuhan Multi-Purpose Cooperative—were able to put food on the table for their families and rebuild their lives with the help of the GEM Program, which to date has trained more than 28,000 MNLF former combatants to become productive growers.

Beginning in 2005, to help selected MNLF cooperatives augment their incomes from seaweed and copra farming, GEM introduced them to higher-value vegetable production through its Targeted Commodity Expansion Project (TCEP).

Beginning in 2005, to help selected MNLF cooperatives augment their incomes from seaweed and copra farming, GEM introduced them to higher-value vegetable production through its Targeted Commodity Expansion Project (TCEP).

At the start of the GEM training, Usman pointed out to his comrades the advantages of diversifying their crops. “Copra is harvested every three months. On the other hand, vegetables can be harvested monthly,” Usman said.