Timor-Leste is advancing a food systems transformation project aimed at improving agricultural productivity, strengthening market access and supporting better nutrition outcomes for rural communities. Launched in May 2025 and funded by the Joint SDG Fund, the initiative supports the country’s National Food Systems Pathways.
The project is addressing long-standing challenges faced by farming families, including high labour costs, unpredictable weather and limited access to modern farming equipment. In Covalima and Zumalai Administrative Posts, 28 farmer groups representing 560 farming families, including 130 women-headed families, received newly procured hand tractors to support rice cultivation and other agricultural activities.
The tractors are helping farmers begin planting earlier and reduce production expenses. However, the initiative goes beyond equipment by addressing the broader food system, including how food is produced, sold, consumed, governed and valued.
A key challenge for farmers in Timor-Leste has been uncertain market access. Many farmers previously sold mainly to neighbours and avoided expanding production because they were unsure whether they could sell larger harvests at fair prices.
The joint programme between the Government of Timor-Leste and the United Nations therefore focuses on both supply and demand. By combining agricultural inputs with market access, the project reduces the risk that farmers will invest in higher productivity without clear economic returns.
Officials note that Timor-Leste faces a paradox: farmers have the potential to produce more, yet the country continues to experience food insecurity, child malnutrition and reliance on imported food. The project aims to address this gap by improving productivity while creating stronger links between farmers and buyers.
The Food Systems Transformation Project is coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator and led by the Vice Prime-Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs. It is implemented by FAO and UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, pilot municipalities and the National Council for Food Security, Sovereignty and Nutrition.
The Joint SDG Fund plays a catalytic role by supporting policy coordination, agricultural innovation, nutrition and market development. Its flexible financing helps connect different parts of the food system into one coherent national effort.
Market linkage activities include engaging public and private sector buyers, supporting farmer groups to connect with markets and contributing to policy discussions on how to create more stable opportunities for smallholder farmers. These efforts are intended to increase demand for locally grown produce.
The project also promotes climate-smart agriculture, soil conservation and the use of organic inputs. FAO is integrating these approaches with local knowledge to help farmers become more resilient to erratic rainfall, extreme weather and dependence on imported fertilizer.
Demand-side interventions include strengthening public procurement of local produce and improving links between farmers and programmes such as school feeding. These measures are designed to create predictable demand for smallholder output and support investment opportunities in food systems.
UNICEF is leading nutrition-focused activities, especially for pregnant women, lactating mothers, infants and young children. These efforts include promoting breastfeeding, improving complementary feeding, strengthening community awareness, training health workers and supporting home gardening and dietary diversification.
Improving child nutrition is presented as both a health and development priority. Better nutrition can support education outcomes, workforce productivity and long-term economic growth, making it central to Timor-Leste’s national development.
The project also responds to the needs of women and young children, who are particularly affected by poor dietary diversity and limited access to nutritious foods. By linking agriculture with nutrition, the programme aims to improve both livelihoods and household well-being.
If sustained, the initiative could help Timor-Leste achieve stronger agricultural productivity, improved rural livelihoods, better nutrition and a more resilient food system. Its success will depend on maintaining the link between investments, productivity gains and reliable market access.
Overall, the Food Systems Transformation Project shows how agriculture, nutrition, climate resilience and market systems can work together. By listening to farmers and building systems around their needs, Timor-Leste is taking important steps toward a more self-reliant and sustainable food future.
