In mid-2013, Seeds of Life conducted a mid-term survey to assess what progress had been made in the first two and a half years of the current phase of the program.
This survey — which was conducted in 55 sucos across the 13 districts, with visits to 672 households — showed that on average 25% of the crop farmers in Timor-Leste grow one or more improved varieties of a foodcrop.
The adoption rates are the highest for maize and rice (with 15% of the farmers growing these crops using an improved variety), and are:
- 11% for peanut growers
- 7% for sweet potato growers
- 3% for cassava growers.
Of the farmers who grow an improved variety, 76% grow it only for one crop.
In general, the farmers growing improved varieties are quite satisfied with the results they obtain: 88% of them reported that they had better yields than before.
View the full report or powerpoint presentation (English or Tetum)
