(Tetum) Can rubber band straps help make storage drums airtight, thus killing weevils?

That’s the question MAF-SoL researchers sought to answer last month, when they launched a simple experiment to compare weevil survival after two 80-litre storage drums were sealed for 31 days. (more…)

(Tetum) It’s a wrongly held belief that farming families in Timor-Leste only plant rice and have one income source.

In actuality, most farming families have incredibly diverse farms and livelihoods, which is essential for managing risk in Timor’s tough agricultural environment. (more…)

(Tetum) “I am happy,” says Filomeno da Cruz (55), a cassava farmer living in Camlor, suco Luca, Viqueque district, “I’ve planted cassava for just six months, but I’ve felt the benefits already.”

Filomeno da Cruz became involved in seed production in July last year as a contract grower for the Ai-luka 2 and Ai-luka 4 cassava varieties released in 2009 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and Seeds of Life (SoL). (more…)

(Tetum) “I am really happy to be involved in seed production with Seeds of Life, because since we started that my life has become better than before,” said Anina de Jesus, a peanut farmer living in Ritabou village, Maliana sub-district, Bobonaro district.

Anina is chief of the six-member contract grower group ‘Aselsam’ that produces certified seed  of Utamua, the improved peanut variety released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and sells it to MAF for use by other seed producers.

Since Anina first began planting the improved variety in 2008 she has had many positive changes in her life. (more…)