(Tetum) Martinha da Costa Boavida is chief of ‘Moris Foun’ community seed production group (CSPG) in aldeia Bahamori, suco Ostico, Baucau district.
Martinha has successfully led the group of 26 members – 18 male and 8 female – since 2006 in planting sweet potato varieties Hohrae 1, Hohrae 2, and Hohrae 3, released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Seeds of Life. The group members own their own plots, and come together to collectively plant, water, weed and harvest. (more…)
(Tetum) Seeds of Life has successfully piloted business plan training last month for three farmers’ associations that sell commercial seed, and now plans to nationally roll-out the training in 2014.
Training sessions were held for three established farmers’ associations to help build their skills in managing group activities, finances and the marketing of seed. (more…)
(Tetum) Olandina da Costa is the chief of Community Seed Production Group (CSPG) Bilbeu in Guico village, Maubara sub-district, Liquiça. The group was established in 2011 and has the unique feature that all 10 members are women.
The group receives assistance from the Suco Extension Officer (SEO) in their village, Bartolomeu da Silva.
“When I visited this group in 2011 they were planting vegetables. I asked them to form a CSPG and eventually they decided to form a group of all women members. The head of the group is also a woman” (more…)
(Tetum) Twelve farmers’ associations in Baucau, Lautem and Viqueque received their official MAF Seed Department registration certificates qualifying them as Commercial Seed Producers (CSPs) last week, bringing the total of registered producers nationwide to 31.
That’s a 10 times expansion of the three initial CSPs licensed to produce seed last cropping. (more…)
