DILI,30 september 2022 ( TATOLI)- Oxfam and the Secretary State of Youth and Sport ( SSYS) today launched a research report to increasing youth participation in the agriculture sector in Timor – Leste.
Coordinator of Strategy & Engagement Lead /Oxfam, Adilsonio da Costa Junior, informed that the existence of Oxfam in Timor – Leste, is one of the platforms to increase food security by increasing youth participation in the agriculture sector in Timor – Leste. Therefore today Oxfam together with the Representative of the Government of Timor – Leste through the Secretary of State of Youth and Sport launched the research report ” Increasing Youth Participation in the Agriculture Sector in Timor – Leste which had been conducted in 2019 ago.
” This research report is launched to recommend the government of Timor – Leste, establish a good Strategy policy in developing the agriculture sector in Timor – Leste,” Coordinator of Strategy & Engagement Lead /Oxfam, Adilsonio da Costa Junior, told reporters at Timor- Plaza, Suai room on friday.
Junior, considers Timor – Leste’s important sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing industries, and other important sector are not well developed, adding that therefore Timor-Leste is facing major challenges because its economy cannot absorb over 2000 to 3000 young Timorese who entered the labor force every year and the agriculture sector that can provide significant employment has been a decline over time while the world researched to find out that young man and women are less involved in the agriculture sector.
According to Junior, the research found that most heads of agricultural households are above forty (40) years old the age at which productivity of agriculture begins to fall meanwhile the Agriculture households are also dominated by populations with only primary or non-formal education; “On the ground, realities show that Timor – Leste ‘ s agricultural productivity is low compared to the other countries in the Southeast Asia region,”
“We recommend that the Government of Timor- Leste should continue to implement policies to promote the production and consumption of local products including integration of local food into school meal programs, facilitate the irrigation, construct the road in the rural area to easily access the market,” he said.
At the same place the Secretary of State of Youth and Sport Abrao, Saldanha thanked Oxfam which had identified the problems of the farmer in Timor – Leste and will work together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery together with the partner to develop the agriculture sector in Timor – Leste.
” The research report of Increasing Youth Participation in the Agriculture Sector including its recommendation will become the guideline for the government to develop and intensify the agriculture sector in Timor – Leste,” he concluded.
So far the research took place in 2019 in the municipality of Dili, Baucau, and Ermera with a total number of participants of 164 farmers.
The research was funded by the Government of Australia through the Australian AID in Timor – Leste.
Journalist : Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Nelia B.
