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Timor-Leste

Thematic Report on The Right to Food in Timor-Leste

Attachments

UNMIT Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section

Executive Summary

1. Fulfilling the right to food is one of the main pillars for building a prosperous Timor-Leste. In Asia's youngest and poorest nation, where 80 percent of the population relies on the agricultural sector for both food source and income generation, food security(1) is one of the most crucial elements for ensuring that the right to food is realized and for achieving socio-economic stability. The Government, with the assistance of United Nations agencies, NGOs and the support of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), has been closely monitoring the food security situation to prevent further deterioration. However, concerns remain as the country continues to battle chronic food problems and depends heavily on food imports to meet its needs. The situation is exacerbated by an increase in food prices in the global market. The Government, working to overcome these obstacles, has begun to take steps towards improving food security. Initiatives have included allocating nearly US$17 million to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) for 2008, three times its 2005 budget, providing US$7.5 million to the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Commerce to purchase food stock for periods of crisis, and endorsing the National Recovery Strategy - a strategy, which includes a comprehensive framework on food security.(2)

2. Although promising, fully implementing these initiatives will be difficult as the country grapples with nearly half of the population being either food insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Among them are internally displaced persons (IDPs) and former IDPs who have returned to their homes. Moreover, the Government lacks proper mechanisms to support farmers to increase productivity and sell their surplus products. To address these and other challenges effectively, it is essential that the Government, with the support of international donors and national actors, continue to consolidate the positive steps taken thus far towards achieving the right to food. In this regard, the analysis and the recommendations contained in this report are intended to assist all those involved in promoting, protecting, and fulfilling the right to food in the country.

Notes

(1) At the 1996 World Food Summit it was agreed that food security exists when: "all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life." (CFS, 1996)

(2) Additionally, other attempts made by Government include a US$240 million Economic Stabilization Fund which received parliamentary approval and was earmarked for rice imports and market intervention. However, on 27 October 2008, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Economic Stabilization Fund was unconstitutional. The request for revision of the Fund came mainly from FRETILIN MPs.