East Timor - Achievements

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2. Country Strategy
3. Priorities
4. Key Program Managers
5. Current Projects
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Achievements

Key indicators and performance for 2008-09

Indicator: Ongoing success in the implementation of jointly funded ACIAR–AusAID ‘Seeds of Life 2’ program in close partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), including development of an on-farm demonstration trial system, a farmer participatory research manual and at least two new crop varieties released and deployed by farmers

Performance: The release of varieties of maize, rice, peanut and sweetpotato have been followed by two new cassava varieties. All crops show yield advantages and high farmer acceptance in the on-farm testing system that is supported by a detailed and well-targeted 34-page manual. Hundreds of farmers are more food secure and many are now selling agricultural produce for the first time.

Indicator: At least three East Timorese researchers involved with an ACIAR project undertaking postgraduate study in Australia as John Allwright Fellows

Performance: Five researchers are currently studying in Australia, a sixth student submitted a thesis in 2008–09 and a seventh scholar is expected to start in June 2009.

Achievements from the 2008-09 Annual Report

The Seeds of Life (SoL) program within the East Timorese Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) expanded its activities into seven of the country’s 13 districts during the 4th year of its implementation. Rehabilitation of research stations advanced considerably over the past year, and the main research-related buildings at Betano Research Station are now complete and operating. In 2008–09 the MAF added to these with the construction of a large warehouse, a meeting building, one house and a tractor repair shed. One house at Loes Research Station was rehabilitated in January 2009. Construction commenced in June for rehabilitation of the remaining buildings. An Australian volunteer who commenced a 16-month assignment at Loes station in May 2009 is helping supervise the rehabilitation. The research station site at Darasula, Baucau, has been fenced by MAF, a station manager assigned to oversee its development and an environmental site assessment drafted.

Replicated trials planted at Aileu, Maliana, Betano and Fatumaca included maize, cassava, sweetpotato and peanut. Seven seed production officers across six districts are working with a seed officer and adviser to produce bulk quantities of selected seed and 50,000 sweetpotato cuttings. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has agreed to purchase, on behalf of MAF, seed produced in-country. The project team has documented that farmers are selling surpluses of staple crops introduced through the project, as evidenced by the different colours of sweetpotato varieties released when compared to local varieties. Seed dryers and seed cleaning equipment have been purchased to improve the quality for 2009–10.

New varieties of commonly cultivated food crops were introduced and evaluated in replicated trials. Included were 20 maize (mainly from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center—CIMMYT), 15 peanut (mainly from the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics—ICRISAT) and 16 varieties of sweetpotato (mainly from the International Potato Center), and 25 cassava clones (mainly from International Center for Tropical Agriculture—CIAT). Within each trial were at least two local varieties. In addition to the varietal evaluations, a number of farming systems trials were installed. These included time of planting/weeding of maize trials, weevil tolerance in maize varieties, the effect of phosphorus on peanuts and a planting distance on peanut yield trial.

A seed collection curator was assigned during 2008 to collect and conserve germplasm. In the current collection are 80 cassava entries, 40 sweetpotato varieties and 30 peanut varieties. Seed of the released varieties was conserved on the research stations, both in the field and stored in warehouses.

Two East Timorese social scientists worked for much of the year collecting data and preparing reports on the economic benefits of farmers involved in SoL in Aileu, Baucau, Liquica and Manufahi. During the year cropping calendars for SoL subdistricts in Aileu, Baucau, Liquica and Manufahi were completed and cropping calendars for new locations in Venilale, Maubisse, Natarbora and Turiscai commenced. A social science adviser from the Australian National University commenced support work with SoL in April 2009. Research to develop ‘packages of technology’ included experiments to test velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) as a weed control in maize, weeding trials in maize, positioning of cuttings of sweetpotatoes, phosphorus application on peanuts and weevil tolerance in maize.

The level of institutionalisation of SoL into the MAF increased dramatically during the year and now funds 28 of the 39 professional staff. The Ministry also designated managers for the Betano, Darasula and Loes research stations. MAF buildings at Comoro and in the districts were used by SoL, and MAF provincial personnel were running the research program in the districts. All SoL correspondence is now channelled through MAF.

Chromolaena odorata has been recognised by the UN Global Invasive Species Program as one of the 30 worst invasive weeds worldwide. In East Timor it is now widespread and has a negative impact on cattle and goat production. Another weed, Mimosa diplotricha, has invaded maize crops in higher rainfall areas of the country, reducing productivity and increasing the labour required for maize cropping. A project is now providing long-term, low-cost and low technology control for these two serious weeds through the introduction of two main biological control agents—the stem gall fly for C. odorata and a sap-sucking psyllid for M. diplotricha. Through the project’s capacity-building activities, staff of MAF and the National University have developed a grounding in the principles of biological control. They are now able to maintain insects in a low-technology setting using techniques introduced through the project. After initial community resistance and suspicion, farmers are now asking to be included in the project, with significant change in community attitudes to biological control, as evidenced when local farmers protect release sites from fires.

Ongoing development of agriculture is constrained by limited capacity. A project designed to boost both production and capacity has recognised the need to undertake this on a small scale. The approach it is taking is to invest in micro-projects valued between $10,000 and $35,000 and to link Timorese researchers with local agricultural producers. Australian experts are acting as mentors, providing research and development knowledge and other information to support project development and implementation.

Six micro-projects approved by the Project Steering Committee in March 2008 are nearing completion. Four of them have completed field and data entry and have commenced data analysis. Another project, led by a former ACIAR John Allwright Fellow, is working to develop a nutritional decision support system for East Timor cattle that should contribute significantly to improving cattle production.

The micro-project teams presented their preliminary research results at East Timor’s 4th Annual National Agricultural Workshop in November 2008 to an audience of academics, students, MAF personnel, district livestock officers and farmer representatives, together with donors, NGOs and other ACIAR project scientists.