“Towards a sustainable national seed system for Timor Leste”
Seeds of Life(SoL) is a program within the East Timor Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). We are funded collaboratively by MAF and the Australian Government, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).The Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) within the University of Western Australia (UWA) is commissioned to coordinate our Australian-funded activities.
SoL started its phase 3 (SoL3) in 2011 and the program is guided by the work on variety selection that started in 2000 (SoL1) which was extended in a second phase with seed production and distribution that commenced in late 2005 and ended up working in seven of the thirteen districts in Timor Leste (SoL2). SoL3 builds on the scientific results and technical capacity built in MAF during SoL1 and SoL2.
The goal of the program is “Improved food security through increased productivity of major foodcrops“, with the objective: “81,000 farmers have access to and are routinely using improved food crop varieties“.
To achieve this, SoL3 has four Components, which include the two main previous areas, but also expand work to informal seed production and distribution, and to overall seed system management. These four components build on each other in a logical manner.
Component One: Evaluation of Improved Foodcrop Varieties.
Continues the work started by SoL1. This is the ‘engine room’ of the entire seed system, and must continue in order to address new challenges and opportunities.
Component Two: Formal Seed Production and Distribution.
Develops the formal seed system, which SoL2 initiated. Formal-seed production, quality-control procedures, and supply channels are also key aspects of a seed system. Components 1 and 2 both produce essential public goods, with little scope for private-sector involvement in breeding or seed supply for open-pollinated staple foodcrops – especially considering Timor Leste’s level of development. Thus, both Components 1 and 2 will need to be within the public sector and supported by MAF for the foreseable future.
Component Three: Informal Seed Production and Distribution.
Strengthens informal channels for producing SoL seed, and its distribution to farmers. This will involve multiple strategies to increase farmers’ access to SoL varieties, and build the foundation for more demand-driven market channels for seed production and distribution to develop in the informal sector. This component is new for SoL3, and will use outputs from components 1 and 2.
Component Four: Seed System Management.
Builds MAF’s capacity to strategically manage the overall seed system. This will involve establishing planning and monitoring systems, promotional activities, policy engagement, and cross-cutting strategies for addressing gender and environmental concerns. This componentis also news to SoL3.
