On 15th of September, in Vatuboro, sub-district of Maubara, was inaugurated, the Fini Diak, “Agriculture Shop” designed to provide agricultural inputs for local producers.
About 50 guests, including farmers, local communities, NGOs and the Portuguese Cooperation witnessed the opening of this store, created with the aim of facilitating access to seeds and agricultural equipment to local producers through a credit system, at the same time providing training and technical support.
The agriculture shop culminates the chain of support to local farmers – materialised in an Agricultural Services Provision Unit (UPSA) – whose goal is the enhancement of local agricultural production. Designed from an agri-business point of view, the UPSA is an innovative centre that integrates a wide range of services from production support to processing and marketing of local agricultural products.
The inauguration was chaired by the Administrator of the Sub-District of Maubara, who at the time stressed the importance of this project to the local community, calling for participation.
In addition to visiting the store, guests had the opportunity to learn more about the initiative and the surrounding area, which includes an experimental plantation and a collection of banana trees, representing the 23 varieties grown in the district of Liquiça.
The initiative, part of the project Stimulating Local Markets and Circuits, has already directly benefitted 52 farmers, organised into three groups (Varcão, Lebotelo and Loes), with a total of 6000 m2 of land planted.
On the sidelines of the event, these agricultural activities, were identified as part of the “Fini Diak” brand, with a logo display, thus ensuring that the production is of high quality and respects the regulation of the Fini Diak agricultural groups.
In a country where food shortages are more than 70% in villages, especially during the months of November / December and February / March, IMVF’s commitment is to innovation and quality, aiming to enhance, qualify and sell local agricultural supplies through partnerships with public and private sector entities.
The processing plant and the Maubara fruit shop, responsible for distributing agricultural products, complement the UPSA, which has been developed in partnership with the Mos Bele Programme – Cluster of the Portuguese Cooperation in East Timor.
The UPSA is now in a position to ensure the trading of the farmers’ production, supplying the Portuguese School, the Pateo, the Kmaneg in parallel to the traditional markets and bazaars.
The project is co-financed by the Portuguese Cooperation.