The agricultural sector in Covalima Municipality continues to face challenges, especially in agricultural mechanisation, as the number of tractors are not sufficient to assist all farmers with rice production and other crops.
The Director of Agriculture of Covalima Municipality, Lino Magno, said that the government, through SAPIP programmes, has already provided tractor support to farmers in previous years. However, the reality on the ground is that the number of tractors is still not sufficient to meet the needs of all farmers, especially during the planting season.
“At present, we have a total of thirty-three (33) tractors, but some are damaged and under maintenance, and five are completely damaged and can no longer be used because they have been used for a long time. Therefore, these problems mean we cannot respond to all farmers. Because of this, we continue to ask the government to increase the number of tractors and improve the maintenance schedule,” said Lino Magno at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (MAPPF) in Comoro, Dili.
He added that increasing agricultural mechanisation can facilitate the process of planting rice, reduce manual labour time, and provide opportunities for farmers to expand their planting areas.
Meanwhile, Armindo Maia, a farmer, said that the local community feels the direct impact of this lack of equipment, because the limited number of tractors often causes delays during the planting season.
“We wait with hope to be able to use a tractor, but because they are limited. But we must wait. When it becomes available, the planting time is often already late, and this can affect harvest results as well as family income,” said Farmer Armindo.
He added that farmers have a strong willingness to work and increase production, but the lack of support with modern equipment becomes a major obstacle for them to develop.
On the other hand, the Minister of MAPPF, Marcos da Cruz, said that the ministry has already distributed tractors to each municipality, including Covalima Municipality, according to national plans and local needs.
“We understand the concerns of farmers. Up to now, MAPPF has distributed tractors to municipalities, including Covalima, and will continue to do so. However, this process requires time due to budget and resource limitations. There are plans to increase more in the future,” said Marcos da Cruz.He explained that this process cannot be done quickly because it depends on the State General Budget, the procurement of equipment, and distribution that must be carried out with proper planning to ensure their efficient use.
