Expansion of Candlenut Oil Industry
Timor-Leste has been exporting candlenut oil to Hawaii since 2005, as a result of focused business assistance by USAID to local processing factory Acelda. To expand the country’s production of candlenut, USAID has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as well as various farmers’ groups. USAID also linked up the farmers’ groups with Acelda.
(March 26, 2008)

First Cattle Export of 2008
In early March, the National Cooperatives Business Association (NCBA) and Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT) facilitated the exportation of 70 fattened bulls from farmer members in Covalima and Manufahi to West Timor, Indonesia. This is the first cattle exportation activity for 2008. CCT cattle exports to Indonesia amounted to over $150,000 in 2007. Prospects are good for Timor-Leste’s cattle exports as the NCBA cattle fattening project has built a reputation for high-quality bull and the price of beef in the region is on the rise. (March 26, 2008)

Literacy Training for Enclave's Women
Over a hundred rural women from across the Oecusse enclave celebrated International Women's Day with a graduation ceremony from a USAID-supported six-month literacy and numeracy training and a workshop-exhibition that highlighted their successful small business practices. Since 2005, USAID has paid special attention to numeracy and business management training for Timor-Leste’s rural women to help them identify business opportunities and increase their income. The enclave’s women are starting to gain a reputation in the country for being “nearly all literate” to the credit of USAID’s local partners. (March 26, 2008)