(Tetum) Many farmers appreciate the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ improved varieties of maize, rice, peanut, sweet potato and cassava because of their good characteristics – they are productive, locally adapted, can be replanted again, and yield well under traditional practices.

Today, on World Environment Day (5 June), let’s take a closer look in this infographic at how these released varieties are also helping reduce hunger in Timor-Leste while protecting the natural resources farmers rely on (water, soil, plants and animals) and improving biodiversity.

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(Tetum) Happy International Day for Biological Diversity!

Commencing in 2000, the United Nations proclaims each 22 May the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity and global issues surrounding natural variations in species, ecosystems and genetics. Since 2002, each year IDB has a designated theme, including Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation (2010), Biodiversity and Agriculture (2008) and Biodiversity: Life Insurance for our Changing World (2005). (more…)

(Tetum) Can rubber band straps help make storage drums airtight, thus killing weevils?

That’s the question MAF-SoL researchers sought to answer last month, when they launched a simple experiment to compare weevil survival after two 80-litre storage drums were sealed for 31 days. (more…)

(Tetum) “I am really happy to be involved in seed production with Seeds of Life, because since we started that my life has become better than before,” said Anina de Jesus, a peanut farmer living in Ritabou village, Maliana sub-district, Bobonaro district.

Anina is chief of the six-member contract grower group ‘Aselsam’ that produces certified seed  of Utamua, the improved peanut variety released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and sells it to MAF for use by other seed producers.

Since Anina first began planting the improved variety in 2008 she has had many positive changes in her life. (more…)