DILI, 21 november 2024 (TATOLI) – The Association of Coffee Timor–Leste (ACT) and the Market Development Facility (MDF) had launched a short video of Coffee Rejuvenation in Timor–Leste.
Caitlin Wilson, the Ambassador of Australia to Timor-Leste, said the short video A Journey of Coffee Rejuvenation, which is funded by Australia through our MDF program and filmed by Timorese company Blue Milk, highlights farmers experiences on coffee rehabilitation and how it has improved their livelihood. The video aims to encourage other farmers to adopt rejuvenation practices and further benefit from coffee farming.
She said coffee is something that connects Australia and Timor-Leste. Both countries love drinking coffee, and Timorese baristas have trained in Australia.
“We know that coffee is a crucial sector for Timor-Leste’s economic growth, the government’s economic diversification goals, and for the livelihoods of around 35% of Timor-Leste’s population. Coffee is Timor-Leste’s largest agricultural export at around USD 20 million annually.” Caitlin Wilson told reporters at Timor Plaza, Dili, on wednesday (20/11).
She said in the past 30 years, global coffee consumption has almost doubled, and around 3 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily in 2023; global demand was higher than supply. This shows that demand for coffee continues to strengthen, which is a great opportunity for Timor-Leste.
However, Timor-Leste’s coffee sector is experiencing a decline in productivity and quality due to aging trees. Planting new trees and rehabilitating old coffee trees is essential to revive Timor-Leste’s coffee industry and improve the livelihood of thousands of smallholder farmers.
“Therefore, today we launch the video, and in the coming weeks it will be aired on television and distributed on social media. The Australian Government is committed to supporting Timor-Leste’s coffee sector, and we have worked with the Government of Timor-Leste, the Timor-Leste Coffee Association, farmer cooperatives, and almost every exporter. We applaud your efforts to transition to specialty coffee, and we will continue working together to reach this goal,’’ she concluded.
The President of the Coffee Association of Timor-Leste, Evangelino Monteiro Soares, appreciated the short video A Journey of Coffee Rejuvenation, which is filmed by the Timorese company Blue Milk. With this video can encourage other farmers to adopt rejuvenation practices and further benefit from coffee farming.
At the same place, Marcos da Cruz, Agriculture Ministry, encourages the coffee farmers to work together with the Coffee Association of Timor–Leste, MDF, and the other partners to implement the Coffee Rejuvenation, aiming for rehabilitating the old coffee tree and how it has improved their livelihood.
“The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Fishery and Forestry (MALFF) is committed to supporting the implementation of the Coffee Rejuvenation, aiming for rehabilitating the old coffee tree and how it has improved their livelihood and diversified the growth of the economy in Timor–Leste,’’ he concluded.
Present at the launching of the short video A Journey of Coffee Rejuvenation were the President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta; the Ambassador of Australia to Timor–Leste, Caitlin Wilson; the Minister of Agriculture, Marcos da Cruz; coffee farmers; staff of ACT; MDF; partners; and distinguished guests.
It’s recalled that the Agriculture Ministry, together with its partners from ACT and MDF, currently conducts the Coffee Rejuvenation in the municipalities of Ermera, Liquiça, and Aileu.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
