VIQUEQUE, 25 february 2022 (TATOLI) – Care International in Timor-Leste (CITL), through Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) Covid-19 Response, supported agricultural materials and horticulture vegetable seeds to Horticulture Group ‘Marça da Paz’ in Fahi-Lain hamlet of Mane-Tolu village, in Lacluta administrative post of Viqueque municipality, to improve family income and livelihoods in the rural areas.
The provision of the materials and seeds aimed to support the rural communities to recover their economic hardship from the impact of the Covid-19 on agriculture and food in the rural areas.
Francisco Lopes, the Head of Horticulture Group ‘Marça da Paz’ informed that those horticultural tools and equipment they received from CITL, included five hoes, five shovels, two watering cans, two big buckets, plastic water pipe, two water taps, liquid pesticide, and 50m of the plastic tunnel: “We also received the seeds of eggplant, water spinach, tomato, bitter melon, and etc,” Lopes told reporters in Uma-Tolu village, in Lacluta Administrative Post, Viqueque municipality.
“We utilized the two watering cans for watering the vegetable crops, meanwhile the two big buckets are used for making liquid compost. The plastic tunnels are important to protect the crops from rainwater. You know there are lots of insects during the rainy season and we need to use pesticide to protect our crops from these insects,” he said.
Lopes stressed: “To grow the horticultural crops, first, we need to build this wood fence in order to protect these vegetables. Next, we raised the crops beds, and then we made these two nurseries to protect crops from rainwater. After all, we began the transplant process.”
Marça da Paz began growing its horticultural crops in december 2021, and harvested the vegetables in february this year: “So far, we have made US$25 from selling these vegetables.”
He said Marça da Paz didn’t need to sell their horticultural crops at the market instead of posting the pictures of the vegetables on Facebook, and the buyers would come to buy the vegetables directly at the crop site.
“We are delighted to receive these tools and equipment from CITL, as you know we can’t afford to buy such horticultural materials. So, we don’t need to spend any money on buying these things. I would like to thank CITL for putting efforts to distribute all of the materials to Marça da Paz. AHP Covid-19 Response Project will be concluded next month, but we will keep growing the vegetables,” he said.
In addition, CITL also distributed seeds storage and the seeds of corn, yardlong bean, and rice to more than 1000 households in the villages of Macadique, Aflocai, Luca, Uai-Mori Tula, Ahic and Uma Tolu in the Viqueque municipality.
CITL also distributed the horticultural vegetable seeds of eggplant, tomato, water spinach, yardlong bean, peanut, carrot, etc to communities in the villages of Luka, Uai-Mori Tula, Loi Ulu, Afaloicai, Macadique, Ossu de Cima, Ossorua, Nahareka, Uma Tolu, and Ahic village.
Apart from the distribution of the seeds, CITL also carried out training to assist the communities with the installation of plastic tunnels for growing vegetables.
AHP NGOs operating in Timor-Leste are Oxfam Australia, Plan International Australia, World Vision Australia, and CARE Australia. Activities are being implemented with communities and local governments in the Oecusse, Covalima, Aileu, Lautem, Bobonaro, and Viqueque municipalities, as well as nationally.
The implementation of the AHT Covid-19 response began in june 2020 and was expected to be concluded next month.
Journalista: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
