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Recommendations from the Victoria University- Universidade NacionalTimor-Loro Sae Conference on Transforming Timor-Leste for Sustainable

Development, Human Rights and Peace, Dili, July 5th-7th 2009.

Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods

Agriculture is the most significant form of production currently taking place inTimor-Leste, yet not enough of its benefits are going to improve the quality of lifeof people in the rural areas, the farming families themselves. Data supplied by DrRui Gomes of the UNDP at the conference shows that farmers living in the mostprofitable coffee-growing areas also have the higlest level of poverty andmalnutrition in the country. This stream looked at different philosophies ofagriculture and methodologies of educating male and female farmers to improveproductivity of agriculture and diversity of Timors food supply. It also looked atfood after it has left the farm. There was discussion of ways of improving diversityof diet by improving food storage, preservation, food processing and cookingpractices to create livelihoods in rural areas by establishment of more direct links

between produces and consumers of Timors food. This is an important area fordevelopment of rural livelihoods or off-farm economic activity.

Recommendations to the GovernmentThe government should aim to improve the quantity, quality and reliability of foodproduction systems throughout the country, particularly in subsistencehouseholds, which market their surplus.

The government should strengthen food sovereignty, which means that allpeople have the right to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food and tofood-producing resources and the ability to sustain themselves and their

societies with local seeds, indigenous knowledge, as well as diversifying localcrops, fruits, vegetables etc. to address food security and malnutrition.

Home industries, adding value to agricultural products, such as those practicedat the Canossians Centro Treino Integral e Desenvolvimento (CTID)(Centre forIntegral Training and Development) in Baucau can also be encouraged,particularly by women, to improve health and income generation.

Climate change means that energy should be saved on transport of food wherepossible and food consumed close to where it is grown. The establishment oflocal markets and banking facilities should avoid the need for so many farmers tobring their crops to Dili to sell. The School feeding program should be a majormarket for local fruit and vegetables in many sub-districts.

Radio and television should be used to inform consumers and sellers of pricesand availability of various foods in local markets in rural districts and in Dili.

Appropriate technology, such as rainwater harvesting using tanks and dams,could be used to lessen the impact of drought and extend the growing season.

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Training for all related agencies, including extension workers, civil society, stafffrom the Ministry of Agriculture and for farmers themselves, needs to beparticipatory, bringing together theory and practice and take place throughformal, informal and non-formal education. Many of the principles and practice of

sustainable agriculture, based on local resources, including composting, could betaught in schools as part of science classes.

Recommendations to UNTLReform the existing curriculum in the Faculty of Agriculture to make it moreappropriate to sustainable rural livelihoods.

Include the study of agricultural policy in other Faculties and Departments, notjust the Faculty of Agriculture.

Research more effective post-harvest storage, food processing, packaging and

transporting practices to add value to food and create more livelihoods.

Recommendations to Civil SocietyIndigenous crops need to be promoted and traditional knowledge, skills and localwisdom need to be recognized. Farmers need to be encouraged to grow goodseeds and establish community seed saving centres.

Appropriate Technology organizations need to network and promote their labour-saving devices to rural families, such as post harvest technology, solar cookers,wind and solar generators and water tanks can all make life easier and moreproductive for the farming household.

Farming families need encouragement to establish home gardens and to dosemi-intensive small animal-raising (e.g. pig, chicken, and goat) in a sustainableway, for better nutrition and income generation.

Farmers (including female farmers) need their own farmers associations torepresent and advise them on their dealing with government and traders.Producers co-operatives can help farmers pool their resources and deal withissues such as transport, marketing etc.

Recommendations to CitizensFarming families need to be encouraged to use more effective post-harvesthandling and storage practices to reduce losses.

Households need to be encouraged to design their home garden and kitchen tosave work, using appropriate cooking stoves to save fuel and lighten womensworkload and improve their health.

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Home gardens with fruit trees, dark green leafy vegetables and beans, havebeen shown in many other countries to make an important contribution ofimproving nutrition.

Even small spaces around urban homes can be made productive and can make

use of vegetable waste through composting.

Information on how to establish small and larger gardens is available throughorganisations such as Permatil.