ACIAR Timor Leste Beef : Beefing Up March 2015

From the project leaders

We have just had a very constructive review as we head towards the end of the project. Bruce Pengelly and Teddy Kristedi have left us with plenty of good ideas on how to set this and the planned research on more productive courses – their advice will be used in building the basis of a new project at the 25 March meeting. ACIAR’s late review has meant “036” is set to be extended to the end of December, while “022” will still finish in February.

MAIN EVENT: The important meetings in Dili on 24 and 25 March will put us on the path to our next project. We expect all staff to attend and have the opportunity to contribute.

We are keen to build capacity by giving new staff training and experience so they may have the opportunity to be part of the next project. Many of the local staff have had the opportunity to experience international study tours. Latino Coimbra and Yuliaty Brito had intensive training in Australia. Jorge, Rita, Anthonio and Rita experienced more advanced research in neighbouring Indonesia. We eagerly anticipate the return of Pedro, Quintiliano and Walter to the project team when they complete their international post-graduate training.

 Welcome to new staff

A major commitment of the project is to build capacity. We can do this both by increasing skills and experience of current staff and employing more staff. We warmly welcome the new field researchers: Regina based in Aidabaleten, Joanita based in Fatucahi and Ezequil who is based in Guico.

We hope to start a new project on 01 Jan 2016. The new project is likely to employ staff with marketing and communications science training. Hopefully we can employ such people before the end of this year and build their capacity for operations in the new project.

Using girth to estimate live weight of Bali cattle

Live weight is our best measure of cattle production and their value. What if we do not have scales? A simple soft tape to measure the circumference of the chest (girth) can estimate live weight.

Latino Coimbra, Celestino Mali and the field researchers have now collected enough data to show that the live weight x girth relationship for Bali cattle is almost exactly the same in Timor Leste (red line) as it is in Lombok (blue line).

Dr Scott Waldron (UQ) and Dr Paulo Correia (UNTL) have completed fieldwork in all project areas. They have produced a large amount of information from review of published data, detailed investigation of all sectors of the production and marketing chain, and from comprehensive interviews with regulators and advisors. Scott and Paulo are currently analysing and writing up results.

A couple of features of the research are the developing trade into Dili and the vibrant border trade.

In the near future they will be identifying market chain groups as a basis for future research.

The project has 2 new pilots

In late January Michael Bottrell flew us in the Mission Aviation Fellowship aircraft for 2 days for the project review. It was an outstanding success. In keeping with project objectives, we did some training – Latino (pictured) and Dahlan became co-pilots. The aerial view was magnificent. We got a very good understanding of the mountains and where country people lived. It was very interesting to see many fields with no crop, right across the country – there must be better ways to earn a living than farming?

Muapitine and Oecussi planting of forage plots done

The forage plots have been planted and seeds are now germinating at Muapitine, thanks to Yuliaty (UNTL), Feliciano, Rute, Elias, Jaime and Almerio. Anthonio also has the Oecusse plots under control.

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ACIAR Timor Leste Beef team, after farmers training in Loes, 27 March 2015