Project News

On 23rd March, CADETES project made an official trip to Manatuto, 50km to the east from Dili, with three teaching staff of Mechanical Engineering Department. CADETES project collaborated with IRCP (Irrigation and Rice Cultivation Project in Manatuto) for the mechanization of agricultural equipment as it is extremely difficult to produce high-quality seeding machine in Timor-Leste. The teaching staff of Mechanical Engineering Department made use of JICA handover equipment at Hera campus to produce the machine.

A prototype of seeding machine was completed as originally envisaged in the middle of March 2009, and CADETES project visited Mantuto for its operational test. As a result, the prototype achieved a satisfactory response. However, it exposed its problems at a same time. To make an improvement, the length of the wheel should be longer in a way that the machine does not sink down into the soil. The second operational test is intended to conduct immediately after the modification is made. IRCP and CADETES project both expect that this approach would facilitate mechanization of agricultural equipment.