(Tetum)
MAF-SoL will continue to distribute around 250,000 cuttings of Hohrae 1, 2, and 3 officially-released sweet potato varieties by the end of January 2014.
Asep Setiawan, a MAF-SoL Source Seed and Quality Control Advisor, says that since the distributions began in October last year, to date MAF-SoL has covered almost all of Timor Leste’s districts.
The aim of the distribution is to increase the adoption of improved food-crops varieties released by MAF-SoL among Timorese farmers in order to achieve the program goals.
MAF-SoL will continue to distribute around 250,000 cuttings of Hohrae 1, 2, and 3 officially-released sweet potato varieties by the end of January 2014.
The cuttings are provided by three MAF-SoL research stations in Baucau, Loes, and Betano districts, and also form four contracted seed growers in Baucau, Bobonaro, and Aileu districts.
A contracted seed grower in suco Ritabou, Maliana district, Damiao Boemau, has, so far, prepared 100,000 Hohrae 1, 2, and 3 to be distributed to farmers in Bobonaro district.
“Today I prepared 1,000 sweet potato cuttings to give to selected farmers in suco Ritabou,” Damioa says, “Each farmer will receive 200 cuttings”.
Damiao become a MAF-SoL contracted seed grower in 2010. Starting with three plots, Damiao now has twelve plots of Hohrae 1, 2, and 3 varieties.
Farmers and farmers groups, or any interested institution, that would like to access sweet potato cuttings can send a request to MAF-SoL district offices, MAF Seed Department or contact the relevant SoL component.