Dili, 30 April 2026 (Media Democracia) – The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (MAPPF) held a meeting with sixty-one (61) companies to increase animal production in Timor-Leste, the meeting took place at the MAPPF Hall in Comoro.
According to the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (MAPPF), Marcos da Cruz, the government’s role is to create good conditions and an environment so that everyone can contribute to these processes.
“The government’s role is to facilitate and create conditions for staff, to find ways to facilitate according to law and technical requirements so that everyone can move forward, in the livestock and agriculture sector, the first priority we see is how we can establish basic infrastructure such as irrigation. We are building irrigation in some areas, because we know we have wide and fertile land, but lack water. That’s why we have already built irrigation in some places.” said MAPPF Minister Marcos da Cruz, at the MAPPF Hall in Comoro, 28 April 2026.
He added that in livestock, there are problems with large amounts of meat imports, especially large animals, starting with the Secretary of State and his entire directorate, efforts are being made to increase cattle numbers, improve cattle breeds, and address chicken meat imports that mostly come from Brazil and other countries.
“Sometimes ambassadors come and ask why we don’t want to import their chicken meat that has been imported here for a long time, they also asked our technicians, saying the chicken they want to bring in is one that produces eggs, and once it can no longer produce eggs, they slaughter it and then bring it here. Our technicians said this is not healthy for us, and I think that’s correct, actually, after slaughtering, they could process it into feed for other chickens or animals, but they want to bring it here, sometimes we think it might be true, but we have sovereignty to decide that the food coming in must actually be good. So sometimes we think it’s better to encourage each other and create conditions for us to produce domestically, we appreciate that some already have chickens, pigs, and shrimp. Everything is connected to the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries sector, we all have a responsibility to provide quality food for our people in this country.” he said.
In the same place, Secretary of State for Livestock, José Viera, stated that the objective of the meeting with the private sector is important for preparing plans, as this constitutional government wants to increase animal production.
“Over five years, starting from 2023–2028, we must reach 20%. To increase production is not the government’s role alone.The government’s role is to prepare good public policies to work together with the private sector to increase animal production in our country. The private sector that participated in the meeting totaled sixty-one (61). As we know, some previously failed. They invested in livestock not because they lacked money, but because some lacked knowledge. That’s why, as a member of government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Minister himself, we discussed how to connect the private sector with the government through this meeting to find good solutions or measures to improve work related to the livestock, veterinary, and animal product supply technology sector.” said Secretary of State for Livestock, José Viera.
He emphasized that the private sector must invest more in the livestock area, there are also three directorates, the National Directorate of Livestock, the National Directorate of Veterinary, and the National Directorate of Animal Product Supply Technology, that also gave brief presentations on the livestock sector.
Report By: Trainees Baquita and Juliana
Photo By: Trainee Baquita