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Farmer's story: Olandina da Costa, Chief of Women CSPG in Liquica district
On January 30, 2014, in Farmer case study, by Yessy Betty
(Tetum) Olandina da Costa is the chief of Community Seed Production Group (CSPG) Bilbeu in Guico village, Maubara sub-district, Liquiça. The group was established in 2011 and has the unique feature that all 10 members are women.
The group receives assistance from the Suco Extension Officer (SEO) in their village, Bartolomeu da Silva.
"When I visited this group in 2011 they were planting vegetables. I asked them to form a CSPG and eventually they decided to form a group of all women members. The head of the group is also a woman"
Olandino da Costa, chief Bilbau women group in Liquica district.
© Yessy Betty/Seeds of Life
CSPG member Amelia da Cruz, says, "We formed a group of women because it's easy to coordinate and we listen to each other. If we mix with men it could become difficult because they already have so much work and no time for group's activities."
The group has planted the MAF-SoL officially released Sele corn variety since they first received the seed in 2011. Happy with the initial maize harvest, they began planting MAF-SoL officially released Noi Mutin variety in 2012.
Amelia says, "Sele and Noi Mutin are good varieties compared to the local ones. Sele is better because of large cob and high yields".
To reduce the physical burden of ploughing their land, MAF has provided the women with a tractor.
"We collect money to buy fuel for the tractor. We also collect money to pay labor for building the fence, and our husbands and older children also help us with these activities" says Amelia.
In addition to the tractor, the group receives training from MAF-SoL related to the correct techniques of planting maize, and the seed selection process. MAF-SoL has also provided the group with materials including a tarpaulin, a screen, a sheller machine, drums for airtight weevil-free storage and other relevant materials to support their activities.
With the many responsibilities placed upon the women of Timor-Leste's farming community, the members feel there is enough support within the group to divide their time fairly between work and family.
"Previously we used our hands to thresh the maize, an activity that can take many days. Now we use our sheller provided by MAF-SoL and it is much faster than before", says Amelia.
"Likewise the selection of seed has sped up. Previously, using our hands and an ink basket (20kg) it could take 30 minutes or longer. Now that we're using the screen it is much faster than before and only takes 10 minutes. We then store the seeds in the airtight steel drums we received from MAF-SoL and that prevents weevils infesting them or rats eating them".
Some of Bilbau CSPG members.
A group member says, "I can share my time between group activities and household activities such as preparing my children for school. The older children attend school, but for those of us with very young children, we must bring them into the field with us. There is just no one to look after them at home."
"My husband is very supportive of me and my decision to become a member of the community seed production group."
All the current members were keen to be involved in the formation of the group as they saw its potential to provide a sustainable income. The members now use their profits to support their families and send their children to school.
Although the group is all women, there is a strong emphasis on the promotion of male and female cooperation in agriculture in Guico village.
In December 2013, the women of the Bilbau group joined with other groups in the village, and distributed their surplus Noi Mutin seed to approximately 80 vulnerable households within their community.
Tagged with: agriculture • Community Seed Production Group • east timor • food security • Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries • Noi Mutin • seeds of life • Sele • timor-leste
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