| Seeds of Life | ||
| for | Five CGIAR centers–CIAT, CIMMYT, CIP, ICRISAT, and IRRI–have joined with international agencies to offer improved seed to the conflict-ravaged people of East Timor for growing major food crops. |  |
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East Timor
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The Seeds of Life project was launched and funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in 2000. Aside from the CGIAR centers, participants include World Vision International and Catholic Relief Services. Work on the ground is coordinated by the Department of Agricultural Affairs (DAA) of the East Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA), United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), and extends over 2000–03.
A Portuguese colony for 400 years and an Indonesian province as of 1974, East Timor voted for independence in 1999. Civil conflicts disrupted farming and markets, among other things, leaving a shortage of quality seed of basic crops. Emergency relief seed came, but it was often poorly adapted to local conditions.
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Maize farmers in East Timor stand to gain a lot from improved varieties, as the results from a recent trial in East Timor show. The best CIMMYT variety outyielded the local check by nearly 50%. |
ACIAR thus designed a project to re-establish food production through systematic restocking with top quality, locally adapted seed. CIMMYT is contributing with maize, a crop produced on nearly 60,000 hectares and a staple in East Timor. Per capita annual income in East Timor is just over US$200—equivalent to 55 cents a day.
“This project is helping the East Timorese rebuild their future,” says Fernando González, CIMMYT maize breeder in Asia who monitors maize trials and provides other support to local researchers. “Based on data and guidance from experienced maize researchers, we selected varieties from CIMMYT, Indonesia, and Thailand. Trials were conducted at six locations representing different agroecologies in the country. Results so far have generated a lot of excitement. If you look at the data from Maliana, several varieties in each trial are outyielding the checks by 50% or more.”
According to González, seed of the best varieties will be multiplied for distribution to farmers. The next step is to validate the results and increase seed of the best varieties, so that farmers can test them. Staff of World Vision International, the Catholic Relief Services, and the DAA are advising researchers and will work with farmers to establish trials and then help them manage and evaluate the crops. “Farmers themselves will participate in the final selection, using their own criteria,” says González.
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For more information: Fernando González (f.gonzalez@cgiar.org) |
Published on October 2001
August, 2004