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Vacancy Announcement: Seeds of Life is looking for Climate Change Advisor

On February 14, 2012, in English, Jobs, by contributor
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The Seeds of Life program of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) is looking for a Climate Change Advisor (CCA) who will work closely with MAF personnel to assist with the identification of varieties and technologies adaptable to climate change in Timor-Leste. He/she will report to the SoL Australian Team Leader (ATL).

 

The CCA will:

• Assess the current situation in measurement of climate variables (esp temperature and radiation) and climate variability across the agro-ecological zones (AEZs)in Timor-Leste.
• Develop policies for monitoring the climate of diverse AEZs in Timor-Leste.
• Characterize ago-ecological zones for major food crops in Timor-Leste.
• Assess the impact of temperature, radiation and rainfall changes on staple crop production.
• Assess appropriate adaptation strategies for farmers in response to climate change and variability in each of the agro-ecosystems in Timor-Leste.
• Assist in the recommendation of varieties and technologies of food crops adaptable to variable and changing climates in the agro-ecosystems of Timor-Leste.
• Promote an understanding of climate change within the MAF of Timor-Leste, especially targeting Suco extension officers, professional staff and policy makers.
• Assist MAF in responding to technical requests on climate change and climate science issues.
• Develop educational material at the sub district and suco level to extend the current information on climate and climate change.
• Produce climate fact sheets for each suco that can be used in climate change preparedness planning.

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) on or before 24 February 2012

Click here to access the detailed vacancy announcement.

 

Activity update on the Informal Seed Production

On February 8, 2012, in Informal Seed Production, Uncategorized, Workshops, by contributor
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The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) National Directorate of Community Development Services (DNADCA) and Seeds of Life successfully organized a one day workshop in Dili on 25 January 2012. The workshop was held to review the progress of the informal seed production component, particularly a) progress during the last six months, b) problems experienced and lessons learned, and c) suggested actions to resolve the problems. The workshop was inaugurated by the Director General, Mr. Lourenco Borges Fontes and Seeds of Life Team Leader, Mr. John Dalton. They highlighted the importance of the workshop for the continuing success of the informal seed production component. National Director of DNADCA, Mr. Januario Marcal de Araujo, welcomed all the participants and Mr. Buddhi Kunwar, Informal Seed Production Advisor explained the objective of the workshop.


A total of 47 participants (4 women) attended the workshop:  1 District Director from Liquica, 7 Chief of Extension Departments, 7 District Informal Seed Production Coordinators, 27 Sub-District Extension Coordinators and 5 Extension Officers from DNADCA.

The team from each of SoL’s seven current target districts (Baucau, Viqueque, Manufahi, Aileu, Ainaro, Liquica, and Bobonaro) presented their district progress, problems/issues and suggested actions to resolve the problems. The workshop focused on reviewing progress and problems of the four major food crops (maize, peanuts, sweet potato and cassava). Mr. Araujo congratulated participants for a successful workshop as it recognized the progress made so far, had a good understanding of the problems in Timor-Leste and provided valuable lessons and suggestions to overcome these problems in the future.

 

Seeds of Life participates in the AYAD program

On February 2, 2012, in Uncategorized, by contributor
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Would you like to use your skills and experience to volunteer in a developing country?

The Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) Program sends young Australians aged 18-30 on short term volunteer assignments (3-12 months) throughout Asia, the Pacific and Africa. These assignments are part of the Australian Volunteers for International Development program, an Australian Government AusAID initiative.

University of Western Australia will be supporting a Training Officer assignment in Timor Leste. To apply for this assignment please go to

www.ayad.com.au/assignments?AyaCode=34ET-A11

I encourage you to apply or pass this link on to anyone interested in applying.

Applications are due 24th February 2012. Application details are available on www.ayad.com.au

Please note the AYAD Program reserves the right to withdraw this volunteer assignment at any stage of the selection process.

 

Secretary of State Marcos da Cruz visits Aileu farmer groups

On February 1, 2012, in Uncategorized, by contributor
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On the request of National Directorate of Agriculture and Community Developments (DNADCA) and Seeds of Life(SoL), the Secretary of State (SoS) Agriculture and Arboriculture, His Excellency Sr. Marcos da Cruz, made a one-day visit to Informal Seed Production Groups and the Ministry of Agriculture staff in Aileu District on January 19th, 2012.

The visit was accompanied by Sr. Januario Marcal de Araujo, National Director, Agriculture & Community Development and Sr. Adalfredo do Rosario Ferreira, National Director, Research & Special Services as well as  John Dalton, SoL Australian Team Leader, Buddhi Kunwar, SoL Informal Seed Production Advisor and Francisco Gama and Rui Amaral, SoL’s two national Informal Seed Production Coordinators.

Journalists from TVTL, RTL and staff from MAF’s Agriculture Information Dept. and SoL’s Communications Coordinator covered the Secretary’s visit to seed production plots of improved maize (“Sele”) and peanut (“Utamua”) being managed by the community seed production groups in the Sucos of Liu Rai and Bando Dato.

Approximately 150 Farmer representatives and MAF Extension Officers participated in the plenary meeting at Aileu district headquarters where the MAF District Director Mr. Galiene S.F. da Costa Galhos and the Aileu District Administrator, Mr. Martinho Matos, spoke of the agriculture development situation in Aileu. This was followed by a presentation from Mr. Antonio de Jesus, MAF District Informal Seed Production Coordinator who reported the progress of Informal Seed Production in Aileu District.

Following the opening ceremony, a two-hour field visit enabled the SoS and team to visit three farmer groups producing seeds of the improved “Sele” variety of maize and ‘Utamua’ variety of peanut. All District Informal Seed Production Coordinators and Chief of Extension Department from the other six districts currently involved in the MAF-SoL Seeds of Life program were also invited to participate in the meeting and field visit with the SoS.

Following the field visit, the SoS and team returned to District Headquarters for a question and answer session with representatives of farmers groups. The Secretary strongly endorsed the MAF-SoL informal seed production and distribution program and highlighted its potential when properly and fully implemented to make Timor-Leste self-reliant in locally available high quality planting materials of the major food crops.


Seeds of Life: “Food security begins with seed security”

 
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