T
here is an ageless philosophy that the
Seeds of Life (SoL) program in TimorLeste
subscribes to as team members
partner with the young country to build
a vibrant primary industries sector:
Give a man a fish and you feed him
for a day; teach a man to fish and he
can feed himself for a lifetime.
In Timor-Leste that has meant helping farmers’
groups grow high-quality seed of productive
crop varieties for commercial sale. Since 2013, SoL
has helped 57 farmers’ groups with more than
1,500 members to become commercial seed
producers (CSPs) under the National Seed System
for Released Varieties (http://seedsoflifetimor.org/
national-seed-system).
Following harvest, these producers sell up to
half their seed to the Timor-Leste Government
and NGOs for distribution to farming
households, while traders and agricultural
shops buy seed for resale in kiosks across the
country.
Turning these farmers’ groups into
businesses has had many positive impacts.
Here are just 10 benefits for farming families,
the country of Timor-Leste, producers and the
rural communities