Seeds of Life is celebrating World Environment Day (5 June) by recycling 4,000 plastic bottles (1.5 litre) to distribute maize seed of improved varieties to farmers in Aileu, Timor-Leste.
The certified Sele and Noi Mutin maize seed being distributed are two MAF-SoL released varieties that consistently increase maize production by more than 40%. (more…)
Seeds of Life has established a weather station in Oecusse that readers can access for up to date data on rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind speed and radiation.
The weather station updates every 3 hours and is the second of its kind in Timor, with the first being established in Atauro in January.
The maize harvest season for 2013 is now almost complete and has been good overall. Following the harvest ceremonies for Remexio and Lospalos, Natarbora started its maize harvest on Friday, 26th April.
A Community Seed Production Group (CSPG) in Suco Abat-oan, Natarbora, Manatuto, harvested their first cobs of the Sele variety of maize that were planted late last year.
“We were given 10 kg of seed of Sele maize seed by MAF-SoL and we planted it in our fields,” said the chief of the group, Urbano do Carmo dos Reis.
Urbano said this was the first time the group had planted Sele and they were happy with the results.
“Sele is good. The cobs and seeds are big and the results were impressive. We will continue to plant it.”
Suco Abat-oan CPSG members and communities harvested their first Sele
CSPGs are formed by farmers to produce seed for group members and their local community. Their objective is to ensure farmers have sufficient good quality seed to plant next season so they do not have to rely on seed from MAF or NGOs.
CPSGs are formed at the village (suco) level of a sub-district. They usually comprise around 10-15 members, with each member representing a household.
The CPSGs are then trained on seed production by SEO from MAF-SoL and provided with 5 kg of certified Sele seed to be planted in a 2,000 m2 plot that is isolated from other local corn crops by distance or time of planting to avoid cross-pollination.
Before the harvest season the group is also trained in proper drying, seed selection and storage and provided with equipment to support their work such as a tarpaulin, maize sheller and an airtight 200 liter seed storage drum.
During the 2011-2012 planting season, 320 CSPGs in nine district engaged in Sele maize seed production were supported by MAF-SOL and other NGOs produced 45,840 kg of Sele seed
The good quality Sele seed will be kept in the group’s seed storage drum until next planting season when it will be shared within the members of the group and their families, and any surplus stock will be sold, bartered or otherwise distributed to other members of the local community
During the 2011-2012 planting season, 320 CSPGs in nine district engaged in Sele maize seed production were supported by MAF-SOL and other NGOs produced 45,840 kg of Sele seed.
The MAF National Director of Agriculture & Community Development, Januario Marcal, said MAF would continue to support farmers to produce sufficient seed.
“MAF is committed to supporting CSPGs so that when planting season comes the farmers have their own good quality seed with them ready to plant,” he said.
The CSPG in Natarbora is one of 684 CSPGs established by MAF-SoL in 11 districts, i.e. excluding only Covalima and Dili which will be included from August this year.
MAF-SoL has also supported the farmers in Natarbora to improve production of other major food crops such us rice, peanut, cassava and sweet potato.
Last year the average seed produced per group was 159 kg. This was enough for all members in a group to have good seed to plant in the recent 2012-2013 season, to re-plant if necessary (e.g. after the opening rains in October were followed by a very dry November) and still have 30-40 kg to distribute for their relatives and neighbors to try.
Location: Based in Maliana, District of Bobonaro.
Duration: 32 months
Commencement date: 10 June, 2013
Closing date for applications: 24 May, 2013
Remuneration: A competitive package will be offered
Description of the organisation:
Seeds of Life (SoL) is a program within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) in Timor-Leste (East Timor). The third phase of Seeds of Life (SoL III), 2011-2016, aims to improve food security in Timor-Leste through increased productivity of food crops. The Governments of Timor-Leste and Australia collaboratively fund the program. Australian funding is provided through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and is managed by ACIAR. The Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) within The University of Western Australia (UWA) coordinates the Australian funded activities.
SoL III consists of a team of more than 80 professional Timorese staff plus 10 international advisors. There are three regional advisors (RAs). This RA position is based in the District of Bobonaro. Frequent travel to Dili will also be required. The RA will work with the Director and staff of the District MAF office and the SoL advisors for research, formal and informal seed production. The RA will report to the SoL Australian Team Leader (ATL).
General description of position
The Regional Advisor will:
Establish and maintain a close primary counterpart relationship with the Director of the MAF Office in Bobonaro and three other districts in the west of the country;
Play a lead role in coordinating the implementation of Program activities at District level, providing an operational interface between the Program and the Districts.
Key tasks and responsibilities
The Regional Advisor will:
Establish a close working relationship with the Directors of the District MAF Offices as primary counterparts, and actively guide and mentor staff of the District Offices involved in the implementation of Program activities in the west of the country.
Advise and support MAF district staff involved in implementation of the on-farm trial and demonstration program under Component 1.
Advise and support MAF district staff involved in planning and managing the multiplication and distribution of formal seed under Component 2.
Advise and support MAF district staff involved in establishing Community Seed Production Groups (CSPGs) as a means of increasing production of informal seed, under Component 3.
Provide support for the development of Formal Seed Marketing Groups (FSMGs), focal seed merchants, and farmer to farmer seed exchange as mechanisms for helping to promote the market-based distribution of improved seed, under Component 3.
Support the implementation of targeted capacity building activities designed to support the professional development of MAF staff at district and sub-district levels. This will include but not be limited to: developing the capacity of OFDT Coordinators to manage the OFDT program; developing the capacity of MAF district-level extension staff to plan and manage seed distribution activities; developing the capacity of subdistrict extension staff and Suco Extension Officers to ensure that distributed formal seed is used in the most effective manner by recipient farmers; and developing the capacity of subdistrict extension staff and SEOs to support the establishment and operation of CSPGs.
Facilitate field evaluation activities of the M&E/ SOSEK Unit.
Assist with the dissemination of improved variety technical and promotional materials.
Assist with the organisation of improved variety mass media campaigns at district-level.
Provide inputs as required to Program reports and monitoring activities.
Skills and Experience
(Qualifications/Experience/Skills/Knowledge)
The successful candidates will have:
Essential
Desirable
Apply:
Interested candidates can submit a short covering letter, CV, names of three referees and a document addressing the required skills and experience electronically to Dr Harry Nesbitt, Adjunct Professor, University of Western Australia (h.nesbit@bigpond.net.au). Further enquiries can be addressed to Professor William Erskine, tel. (+61 8) 6488 1903. Information on the Seeds of Life program is available at http://www.seedsoflifetimor.org/ .
