Members of the Tupi Balangon Farmers’ Association (TUBAGA) prepare organically-grown balangon bananas (a native variety) for export, at the association’s farm in Tupi, South Cotabato. TUBAGA, whose members include Muslims, Christians and Lumads, is among the producer associations assisted by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, under its Targeted Commodity Expansion Project (TCEP). GEM trained members of the association on Good Agricultural Practices and sponsored its participation in the International Food Exhibit (IFEX), a major trade event in Manila. TUBAGA has been certified as an organic farming producer by EcoCert, a European certification body, and is shipping at least 16 metric tons of bananas weekly to Japan, and expanding its production areas in southern Mindanao.GEM is being implemented under the supervision of the Mindanao Development Agency. GEM