Modernizasaun Agrikultura / Modernising Agriculture

English translation below

Aprezentasaun hosi Prof. Brett Inder

Setór agrikultura, sai hanesan asuntu ida ne’ebé importante ba Timor-Leste, tanba alende maioria populasaun (64%) nudár agrikultór, agrikultura hanesan fonte prinsipál ba komunidade bain-bain ate komunidade vulneravel sira hodi bele eziste no hadi’a kondisaun moris. Maioria komunidade agrikultór subsisténsia, ne’ebé depende de’it ba demanda iha merkadu no kondisaun fatin ne’ebé sira hela ba hodi kria atividade nudár ema agrikultura.

Nune’e iha loron 19 Agostu 2021, OXFAM organiza diskusaun virtual kona-ba “Modernizasaun Agrikultura” ne’ebé lidera hosi Prof. Brett Inder hosi Monash University, hodi esplika importánsia hosi agrikultura oinsá atu moderniza. Iha nia aprezentasaun esplika kona-ba oinsá atividade agrikultura bele absorve traballadór barak kompara ho atividade mega projetu tasi mane. Alende ne’e mós aprezenta sobre produtu agrikultura, peska no pekuária sira ne’ebé presiza hodi governu nia intervensaun hanesan produtu kafé, Maek, Naan, Ikan, no inklui batar atu nune’e atividade hirak ne’e bele iha sustentabilidade.

Atu garantia atividade hirak ne’e bele sustentável, governu presiza halo intervensaun liu hosi investimentu ne’ebé di’ak no iha konsisténsia, tanba agrikultura sira mós sente iha risku aas liu tanba ne’e agrikultura no negosiante sira sei la investe, tanba alende merkadu nune’e mós nia re tornu tuun liu. 

Atu klaru liu kona-ba matéria ne’e, bele asesu slides (PDF), video ka sumáriu relatóriu iha Tetum.

Modernising Agriculture: presentation by Prof. Brett Inder

Agriculture is an important sector for Timor-Leste, because most people (64%) are farmers, and agriculture is the principal way to improve people’s living conditions especially for vulnerable communities. Most people are subsistence farmers, depending on the needs of the market and the conditions of the place where they live and farm.

Therefore, on 19 August 2021, OXFAM organized a virtual discussion on “Modernising Agriculture” led by Prof. Brett Inder of Monash University, to explain the importance of agriculture and how to modernize it. His presentation explained how agricultural activities can provide work for many more people than the Tasi Mane megaproject. In addition, he discussed how agricultural, fishing and livestock products need government intervention, like coffee. Konjac (yam), meat, fish and corn are examples of sustainable activities.

To ensure that these activities are sustainable, government should intervene through effective and consistent investment. Farmers feel at risk when business people don’t invest, because the market return has fallen sharply.

For more details, see the presentation (PDF), video or report in English.