Google Translation:
Dili, 18 mar 2021 (Lusa) – More than 2.000 farmers from various points in East Timor participated in an emergency food aid programme organised by UNDP and recently concluded support to 28.500 families and institutions.
′′ True heroes are the more than 2.000 farmers who have grown the fresh produce that have allowed to support some of the most vulnerable in East Timor “, highlighted the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Lusa Tuya Altangerel.
The UNDP leader highlights the fact that the programme was ‘ particularly compensating ‘ for the first time ‘ to apply the principle of circular economy on a large scale, linking small and medium-sized farmers ‘ to the market.
′′ Buy local goods and take it to the emergency basket. Shopping locally and eating locally “, stressed.
A support, explained today, in a balance sheet of the initiative, which involved fishermen on the island of Ataúro to coconut oil manufacturers on the east end of the country, with an extensive variety of fresh agricultural products and other food items.
Despite the difficulties, such as distance and logistical capacity, the program involved group in remote areas, such as fishermen in Ataúro who managed to take dry fish to families in several areas ′′ It was an opportunity to understand the micro-networks of these places, where farmers even want to produce more and more variety, but then they can’t dispose of the products with value, which is a disincentive “, said.
′′ We may also note that there is an effort to produce a more varied diet, demystifying the idea that you only eat rice. We saw people actively looking to diversify their nutritious profiles “, it highlighted.
More than 28.500 families and institutions and several points in East Timor benefited in the last year of this programme, which used local farmers and producers to supplement shortages of some of the most vulnerable in the country.
The programme report, which Lusa had access to today, shows that overall the initiative managed to channel nearly 7.630 food baskets to more than 28.500 families and more than 1.900 people in institutions, benefiting 12.726 children, 13.297 adults and 4.388 seniors.
Support reached 428 villages, including some of the most isolated in the country, in 100 juices (local administrative division), from 23 administrative posts and four municipalities – Dili, Covalima, Bobonaro and Baucau – and in the enclave of Oecusse-Ambeno.
According to the execution report, 37 institutions were further supported directly, including 22 orphantages, four centres for domestic violence victim protection and five centres for disabled support.
In some cases orphanages and women protection networks, they had not received any support from the Government, partly because some of the institutions are not officially registered yet, as required by the law.
This meant that more continuous support was needed in some cases.
The program, which was only to last six months, was extended, given the needs of various communities and institutions, including organizations supporting women and children victims of sexual and domestic violence.
For food baskets offered the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) used 432 farmers, 34 farm groups and 22 other suppliers, including fishermen and basket manufacturers.
The report shows that funds to buy products have reached more than 2.000 people.
For baskets, UNDP bought, among other products, more than 166 tonnes of rice, 40 corn, 16 beans and 12 thousand peanuts, 13 thousand eggs, almost 5.200 litres oil, 35 tonnes fruit and greens and other goods.
Each basket was made taking into account a set of base products – rice, corn, beans and oil, e.g. local fresh produce and other value added items, including fish and jerky.
The goal, explains the report, was to provide baskets with ′′ 70 % energy, 60 % protein, vitamins A and C and iron “.
UNDP targeted vulnerable families, with monthly income below the poverty line, $ 56,16 in Dili and $ 45 in the rest of the municipalities covered, people over 60 and without support, adults with disabilities ….
Families in which the head of the family is a woman, orphans and victims of abuse have also been supported.
The report notes the programme’s operational difficulties, many of them due to chronic problems facing the country, including poor road conditions and long distance between warehouses and distribution points.
It takes time in validating target population data, availability of products at local level, price increase and even more people showing up to receive support than initially recorded, other difficulties were pointed out.
Delay in delivery, especially to elderly people with less mobility and problems with supplying less amount of goods than those agreed by suppliers, also affected the process.
ASP // ME
Lusa / End
