The Creative Youth for the Future Group (JKF) is currently cultivating one hectare of kay-rala bafo in the Beskem area, in th village of Aiteas, municipality of Manatuto.
Secretary of State for Cooperatives (SEKoop), Arsénio Pereira da Silva, said that kay-rala bafo production in Timor-Leste is currently showing good progress, because most municipalities are already cultivating it, although in small quantities.
“Currently, the JKF group is cultivating another hectare in Manatuto Municipality. We can see that there is very good progress,” he said.
He added that the cultivation of kay-rala bafo is being carried out together with other crops including vegetables, pumpkin, chili, papaya, eggplant, potatoes and other food crops, to increase production diversity and contribute to the community’s food security.
“We greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of JKF members who continue to work hard to develop the agricultural sector in this area. We encourage the group to continue increasing kay-rala bafo production and take advantage of market opportunities to increase the income of members and communities,” he stressed.
He said that local production such as kay-rala bafo is very important to support rural economic development and reduce dependence on food imports.
On the other hand, a representative of the JFK Group, Matias Lay, said that they are currently cultivating one hectare of kay-rala bafo and that production is showing good results.
“In the future, we will further increase production and work together with SEKoop according to the existing agreement to strengthen the agricultural sector,” he said.
He said that kay-rala bafo production is showing good results, but a market is needed so that these products can be sold and generate income for the community.
“We want the products we cultivate to turn a profit in the market, because we have a guarantee that when we cultivate them, the government will buy them,” he said.
He said that the kay-rala bafo they are cultivating is supported through funding provided by SEKoop in 2025.
In addition, the government, through SEKoop, continues to support and promote cooperative and agricultural activities to strengthen the local economy, create employment opportunities for young people and improve the well-being of communities across the country.
