DILI, 08 november 2022 (TATOLI)—A team led by the President of the Authority of Viqueque municipality, Januario Soares had attended a week-long training on irrigation management for paddy crops, in Tsukuba Japan.
The training aimed to improve knowledge and skills on rice field irrigation, in order to improve Timor-Leste’s agricultural sector, especially in the municipality of Viqueque. The one-week training started from 28 cotober to 5 november.
Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to Japan, Ilídio Ximenes da Costa, told TATOLI in a recent interview that the main objective of the training was to gain practical experience to be implemented in Viqueque.
“The team requested the Japanese Government to support the them with farm tractors and other agricultural equipment in order to continue training young people in the future,” Ambassador Costa told TATOLI.
The team was welcomed by the representative of the Timor-Leste Ambassador to Japan, Julio Martins.
Shortly after their arrival, the team had an immediate meeting with Yukio Kokubo, the President of Donkame Co, Ltd, to hear the important points of the training.
During the week-long training, the team had been visited a number of livestock farms in Tsukuba.
Meanwhile, the President of the Authority of Viqueque municipality, Januario Soares expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to visit Japan to participate in such important training.
He said Japanese agriculture is more advanced due to the use of sophisticated equipment for growing and harvesting crops.
The team was amazed by the Japanese highly developed agricultural irrigation for the paddy fields.
Therefore, the team suggested that the Timor-Leste government, especially the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Agriculture, should provide some scholarships to the best high school students to pursue their higher education in agriculture in Japan.
The team also requested the government to provide long-term training programs for youth to study agricultural science, and modern and sustainable farming methods and practices in Japan to help other farmers in Timor-Leste.
Soares said Donkame has been helping Viqueque communities since 2016: “They have supported our people with the waste management program, poultry farming, and Irrigation Best Management Practices.”
“Donkame will complete its project in Viqueque municipality by 2025. So, we want the Embassy and JICA to continue supporting Donkame’s project in Viqueque in the future,” he concluded.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Nelia Borges
