Ezequiel Freitas – The Asia Foundation is concerned about the government's decentralization program to be implemented in the districts because the program does not value the agriculture sector.

Director of the Asia Foundation Hugo Fernandes said the areas recognized in the decentralization program were the economy, tourism, health and education, but the government didn't recognize the agriculture sector.

According to him, the majority of Timorese people make a living off agriculture but the government forgot the sector in the decentralization program.

"It's an issue because 80% of the population are farmers living in rural areas, so why don't they recognize the agriculture sector," Fernandes lamented.

Meanwhile, LABEH Executive Director Julio Gil da Silva Guteres explained in the draft law on decentralization there was nothing on agriculture.

However, in the draft law on pre-deconcentration, they recognized agriculture. "The majority of us Timorese, 80% are farmers, so why do they not put in agriculture," added Guteres.

He urged the government before implementing deconcentration and decentralization to add the agriculture sector because the majority of Timorese are farmers.

At the same place, National University of Timor-Leste student Inocencio de Jesus Xavier said this was serious because the majority of Timorese people make their income from the agriculture sector. "It's serious for our nation because we're just dependent on the oil fund," he said.

Xavier said the state should actually develop the agriculture sector so it could become an alternative to oil revenue. "I ask the President when he promulgates laws to consider the importance of the agriculture sector."

According to him, a strong nation has a strong agricultural sector, so it can sustain food for people's lives.