DILI, 01 june 2022 (TATOLI)—The Atema’ar Stirkafa business group has succeeded in developing a free-range chicken farm in Baucau after winning the 2021 Innovative Business Competition with the funding support of $8,607.
The Innovative Business Competition itself is a joint project of UNDP (United Nations Development Program) with the Ministry of Tourism, Trade, and Industry (MoTTI) to support young entrepreneurs and business groups to develop their businesses.
The manager of Atema’ar Stirkafa, Martinho Locatelli Ornai, admitted that he had the experience when he visited a chicken farm owned by Rui Castro in Hera called Movimento Asaun Community Ekonómia (MEKOM).
“At last year’s competition, we presented our business plan and were finally selected for support worth $8,607 by providing the materials needed for our business,” Manager Atema’ar Adukafa told Tatoli exclusively at the Dili Convention Center (DCC)
After running for almost a year, Atema’ar Adukafa Business Group has succeeded to develop a free-range chicken business and has 500 free-range chickens and a 50 x 50 chicken coop located in the municipality of Baucau.
This business group consists of 5 (five) people and has supporting facilities such as an incubator with a capacity of 500 eggs, pellets, milling machines, generators, computers, and also materials for making chicken coops.
“This is what we received during the competition, our main product is white eggs, we can produce up to 100 white eggs, native chickens and also fighting chickens,” he said.
Currently, Atema’ar Stirkafa sells a kilo of chicken for $10, white eggs on the shelf for $9 with a monthly income of up to $500 and a net income of $75.
This business group plans to boost its business because it has a land area of one hectare to guarantee future market demand.
“Customers want to order our products in large quantities but we only have limited quantities and do not meet their demands, therefore we are trying to increase our efforts to answer the needs of our consumers,” he concluded.
Project Manager Supporting Entrepreneurship and Employment for Women and Youth (SEAWAY) UNDP, Francelino Guterres previously said that at the 2021 Innovative Business Competition, 29 business groups managed to get funding support with a total of $200,000.
“All of these beneficiaries have successfully started their businesses and we continue to monitor their activities,” said Francelino Guterres.
He said most of these young entrepreneurs invested in productive sectors such as Agriculture and Fisheries, Industry and Manufacturing, Industry, Tourism, Food Technology, and Innovation.
Journalist : Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Nelia Borges
