DILI, 27 december 2022 ( TATOLI)– Comunidade Hadomi Sorgo Timor – Leste (CHSTL) together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries ( MoAF) today launched the result of the digitalization of sorghum research in Timor – Leste.
The coordinator of CHSTL, Brigida Antonio Correia, said the sorghum research was carried out to identify a food commodity that is almost extinct being consumed in Timor – Leste.
“Sorghum is a staple food used consumed by our ancestors in ancient times, however, we observed that the sorghum plant is almost extinct and is no longer consumed in Timor-Leste, with the such reason I had the initiative to conduct joint research with 27 students of the National University of Timor Loro Sa,e (UNTL) from the Faculty of Agriculture in the Municipality of Lautem in 2021 about sorghum, and today we are launching digital sorghum to the public to clarify that sorghum is a multi-functional food that can be consumed by humans and also consumed by animals,” Coordinator of CHSTL, Brigada Antonio Correia told TATOLI in Liceu UNTL, Colmera, Dili on tuesday.
According to Correira the research also identified that sorghum could be replanted in Timor – Leste and could grow on various types of lands and it is a multi-functional food that can be used to make bread, etc, and can also be used as an alternative food for rearing animals.
“Sorghum is a multipurpose crop that can be used as a source of food, animal feed, and industrial raw materials and also an important staple food in Timor -Leste,” she said.
Vice Minister of Tourism Trade and Industry (MTCI), Domingos Antunes Lopes, appealed, to CHSTL to continue empowering farmers to start planting sorghum adding that sorghum food is effective for consumption.
“Government’s MTCI is willing to facilitate national and international markets for export abroad, while MTCI will also buy sorghum products to support the food baskets program (Sesta Basica) in Timor – Leste,” he said.
The Nutrition Coordinator of the Ministry of Health, Dirce Maria, recommended to CHSTL together with MoAF start organizing farmers to grow sorghum for consumption because sorghum has high nutrition and calories for human health.
“Sorghum is very effective for diabetics because it contains high nutrition and planting a lot of sorghum will be given an alternative to people consuming corn and rice in the future and ensure human health will be completely healthy by consuming nutritious food in Timor – Leste,” she said.
At the same place, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pedro do Reis appreciates the initiative from CHSTL, saying will organize farmers to start cultivating sorghum in Timor – Leste: “The role of MoAF is to increase domestic production, therefore with the results of the research, encourage MoAF to work together with CHSTL to organize farmers to plant more sorghum to be consumed as an alternative food on rice and corn in the future in Timor-Leste,”
Reis also Thanked the Comunidade Hadomi Sorgo, on behalf of the Government.
“I thanked Comunidade Hadomi Sorgo Timor – Leste for helping the government by conducting sorghum research. This research will become the basis for the MoAF to organize farmers and provide training on how to grow sorghum to become an alternative food other than corn and rice,” he concluded.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia B.
