IEU helps strengthen Rural Farmer Organisations in Timor Leste
The IEUA is a proud ongoing sponsor of this Apheda program in Timor Leste.
This project continues to increase the capacity of rural Timorese women and men to establish and actively participate in rural farming networks at the community and district level. In addition, the project is increasing understanding and use of sustainable and innovative farming activities to increase crop quality and production levels leading to improvements in rural community income.
Project outcomes have significantly exceeded targets in the 2016-2017 funding period in terms of direct beneficiaries, districts engaged, establishment of community bases and training participation. The IEP set modest targets for the development of two community bases across two districts of Timor Leste but word of the successful nature of the community organising model led to multiple communities directly approaching IEP throughout the 12-month period seeking involvement. This resulted in the establishment by the IEP of 35 Community bases across 5 districts with a total of 480 direct beneficiaries (Men: 315/Women: 165).
Eleven people (nominated farmers and organisers) participated in a planned regional exchange in Indonesia in May 2017. Participants undertook a comparative study with the Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI) in Jakarta and Indonesian farmers’ groups and shared learnings and action plans back with their local communities.
Representatives from across all nine districts currently participating in the project attended a mass mobilisation of 10,000 farmers who travelled to Dili on the 18th June and witnessed the signing of the “Peasant Protector Certificate” by Xanana Gusmao. Participation in this activitiy unified farmers’ groups across the country and demonstrated the collective capacity of the farmers to have a political voice, building the confidence of the individual participants to actively mobilise their own communities.
APHEDA has a commitment to community autonomy and self-reliance across all of our work. The Supporting and Strengthening Rural Farmers Organisations project has long-term sustainability of farming communities as its core focus. This project aims to lift the productive capacity of Timorese farmers so they have the independent means to thrive in their economy and their communities.
As such the activities and targets of the project, from design through to implementation, are about improving the economic patterns in the communities engaged through knowledge transfer and effective utilisation of micro-capital.