Marking 20 years of the World Food Programme’s work in Timor-Leste
Dageng Liu, the World Food Programme’s Representative in Timor-Leste reflects on the last two decades
On 17 September 1999, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) airdropped food and blankets to tens of thousands of Timorese. They had been forced into the mountains after the announcement of the results of the Public Consultation. Violence had erupted across the country and families were in need of urgent help.
It was a collective effort, as 15 tonnes of rice had been donated from the Australian Government and blankets were donated from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Throughout the following week, WFP continued the airdrops, providing families with lifesaving assistance, including ready-made food contributed by the United States.
In October, 1999 emergency operations on the ground began and WFP provided a diverse food basket of maize, high-energy biscuits, and vegetable oil to over 150,000 of the most vulnerable people in the country.
As we reflect on our collective achievements over the last twenty years, we celebrate our accomplishments and recognize that we still have some way to go to reach zero hunger in Timor-Leste. Despite notable progress in the country post-independence, the country is still combating significant rates of food insecurity and malnutrition. It is estimated that under-nutrition costs the country upwards of US$41 million per year in lost productivity due to poor work performance and increased health costs.
Working towards a food secure future
In the mountain town of Manulete, located in the shadow of Mt. Ramelau, the nation’s highest peak, you will find a health post which offers regular health check-ups to pregnant and nursing mothers and children. While modest, the WFP supported health post is a significant resource to the town’s residents, as nearly 70% of children in the municipality of Ermera, where Manulete is located, are plagued with malnutrition.
Country-wide malnutrition rates are significantly better, as previous estimates suggest nearly 50% are malnourished. Supporting health centres like this one is essential to combating food insecurity and malnutrition in Timor-Leste. They are also aligned with WFP’s primary objectives in the country of providing support to the Government of Timor-Leste to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and particularly SDG2 — ending hunger and malnutrition.
While WFP continues to provide supplementary feeding solutions and interventions for moderate acute malnutrition to the most vulnerable, we recognize the importance of shifting our activities to reflect the Timorese Government’s ownership over its own progress towards development. This shift in objectives is exemplified in our handover to the Government of Timor-Leste essential safety net programmes like the School Feeding Programme which WFP previously developed and managed. WFP remains a critical supporter of these programmes, yet the shift has allowed us to refocus our efforts from direct implementation to technical assistance, policy advice, and knowledge transfer to truly achieve a country-owned and country-led future in Timor-Leste.
After twenty years, WFP’s commitment to Timor-Leste has not waivered. We are optimistic that we will see the end of malnutrition in the country and that every man, woman and child can reach their full potential.
Read more about WFP’s work in Timor-Leste.
