Seed Intern in East Timor

22 August 2002
Things related to seeds have been popping up here of late. Report from Amy Glastonbury in Dili, East Timor

My work since March with the local environmental organisation, Haburas, is still as interesting and challenging as ever.

SEED TRAINING IN SUAI
Yesterday I gave an hour's training on seed saving to a group of farmers from some mountain villages near Suai. A man from Timor AID had organised it and as it turned out he didn't really understand their needs properly as they already had lots of knowledge of seed saving. One concern they had though was that their cabbages weren't producing seeds. I suggested that they make a cut in the top like it says in your book. It turned out that they are using hybrids so I explained about hybrids to them.

I ascertained their needs are that they need easier access to markets, transportation and more accessible roads, and better prices for their goods - complicated and difficult problems. They were also sick of talking to NGOs but not receving any benefit from them. Haburas are going to try and organise to loan them a car regularly and we also decided to start a campaign to the supermarkets here to start stocking local fruit and vegetables.

SUAI SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
On 10th September Haburas are going down to Suai to train the youth that your former intern, Ben Larke, works with in sustainable agriculture. We will spend a week with them a build a vegie garden at their youth centre.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEED BANKING IN ATAURO
Recently I went on a trip to Atauro, the island just off Dili. There is a local NGO there called Roman Luan who are interested in setting up a kind of seed bank because they have a shortage of seeds there. We had a discussion about it and I said that I would propose to Haburas that they help out in with training, advice, planning, setting it up, etc.
An officer in Caritas and I are planning that you would come over here and visit Atauro and Oecussi to give some workshops in those two places and to Haburas. I would certainly love the guidance your experience offers and your enthusiasms would really help in giving things a kick start at these two places if something were going to happen. And I would still be here after you go to move things along.