About Seeds of Life

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ Seeds of Life (MAFF SoL) program is an Australian government funded initiative which aims to improve food security in East Timor. Currently, 64% of the population suffers from food insecurity, with many rural households experiencing food shortages from November to February. Food insecurity is partly the result of low levels of food production – a consequence of poor land and the generally low levels of technology, combined with high crop losses, both pre- and post-harvest.

SoL aims to improve crop yield and resistance to pests and disease through the use of improved varieties of five staple crops: maize, cassava, sweet potato, rice and peanuts.

SoL’s first stage (SoL1), commenced in 2000 and tested new maize, cassava, sweet potato, rice, peanut, pigeon pea and bean cultivar varieties on experiment stations throughout East Timor. This testing has continued now for five seasons and for all the crops, varieties superior in yield to local varieties have been identified.

During SoL1, the MAFF was established and rural development identified as a priority in East Timor’s development goals. In 2005, Seeds of Life phase 2 (SoL2) commenced as a program within MAFF under the Division of Research and the Division of Food Crops. SoL2 will run over five years and continue the work of SoL1 by trialing the most promising crop varieties on farmers’ farms, according to the farmers’ own management practices.

SoL activities can be divided into four components. The first component is to strengthen seed production, storage and distribution systems within East Timor. This involves rehabilitating three MAFF Agriculture Research Stations and assisting to formulate a national seed policy. This first year, the Betano Research Centre in Manufahi District is being rebuilt, irrigated and equipped with farming machinery.

The second component continues SoL1 work in evaluating new germplasm and associated technologies on MAFF research stations. SoL works very closely with the MAFF Researchers managing the stations to assist them conduct applied crop research and develop improved crop packages for farmers’ use.

The third component, and major focus of the program, is on-farm demonstrations and trials. SoL will utilise participatory extension methods to test and extend new crop varieties and associated practices to farmers.

Component four focuses on capacity building and institutionalisation of the program within MAFF. SoL employment, training and mentoring of MAFF researchers and extension officers will contribute to the strengthening of crop research and extension in the Ministry. Eventually, MAFF staff will take over the running of the program and after five years, the program will have been integrated into MAFF budgetary and management structures to ensure its sustainability.

Maize cobs

Research Assistant Felisberto at a sweet potato nursery

Maize storage

Local maize and introduced variety

Research Assistant Rafael Feliciano at a peanut plot in Betano

Judging and weighing different varieties of corn