Dili, March 27, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The State Secretary for Cooperation (SECOOP), together with the community leader of Talitu, MOKATIL, and local producers, gathered at Bafo Kayrala, a one-hectare area in Talitu, Post Administration of Laulara, Aileu, on Wednesday.
After opening the financial focal point training at Esperença Delta hall, His Excellency the Secretary of State for Cooperation immediately traveled to Aileu Municipality, Laulara Post-Administration, to collect Bafo Kayrala, a one-hectare area in Kasmantutu sub-village, Talitu. This activity was carried out together with the local authority chief, the President of the Timor-Leste Farmers’ Movement (MOKATIL), and local producers.
The Secretary of State for Cooperation (SECOOP), Arsénio Pereira da Silva, participated in the activity of collecting Bafo Kayrala on a one-hectare area. On this occasion, His Excellency the Secretary of State expressed gratitude to the producers for their collaboration with SECOOP officials assigned in Aileu Municipality.
“I express gratitude to the producers for their collaboration with SECOOP officials assigned in Aileu Municipality and the President of MOKATIL Aileu Municipality in cultivating Bafo Kayrala products on their farms until the harvest, which has shown positive results,” said the Secretary of State for Cooperation, as reported by Média Democracia through SECOOP’s official page on March 26, 2025.
On this occasion, His Excellency the Secretary of State urged the producers to continue producing goods that generate income for them.
“I continuously urged the producers to keep producing any essential products that can generate daily income for them, contributing to the growth of their family economy,” he stated
Before concluding, the government official instructed the staff from the State Secretariat for Cooperation assigned in Aileu Municipality to go into rural areas to identify the products being produced by local farmers. This will allow them to accurately gather data and explore opportunities to supply these products for school meals and other markets.
In the same occasion, the Chief of Talitu Village, Abril Barreto, stated that the presence of His Excellency the Secretary of State for Cooperatives is a great blessing for their village, especially in Kasmantutu sub-village.
“We did not expect that a member of the Government would visit such a rural and remote area. I recommend His Excellency the Secretary of State for Cooperatives (SECOOP) to expand the Bafo Kayrala cultivation program to other villages and also to convey our concerns regarding the extremely poor road conditions in these villages, which make it difficult for us to transport products to the market,” said the Chief of Talitu Village.
According to data reported by MOKATIL in Aileu Municipality, in the early period of 2025, a total of 12 hectares of land have been cultivated with Bafo Kayrala. Some of the harvested produce has already been distributed to other municipalities with limited Bafo seeds, allowing them to cultivate again in the upcoming seasons.
Reported by : Estefania
Picture by : Estefania