DILI, 24 august 2023 (TATOLI)– The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) HASATIL recommended the nine governments prioritize water conservation and irrigation systems to increase domestic corps production.
“We want the new government to have the right policies to answer the challenges of the agricultural sector, especially increasing local products,” HASATIL General Coordinator, Gil Horácio Boavida told TATOLI, in Farol, today.
To guarantee the quantity of local products, he said, the irrigation system needed to be improved, but according to Boavida, the previous government only provided sufficient budget for the agricultural sector.
“We also have a sweet corn harvest season during the rainy season. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the irrigation system so that people can plant corn two or three times a year,” he said.
HASATIL will coordinate with the government, other civil society, and the private sector to develop the agricultural sector and increase corn production, because HASATIL assesses climate change, land productivity, and lack of seeds, as well as irrigation as challenges to increase local products.
Based on HASATIL data, five municipalities always have effective rice production, such as Viqueuqe, Suai, Manufahi, Maliana no Baucau.
So far, Timor Leste collects 77 thousand tons of corn every year.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
