WFP Representative, Dageng Liu, joined the field missions with H.E Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, in Ermera, Liquica, and Bobonaro on last week of April 2022 to observe the nutrition-sensitive and climate-smart community development activities funded by the Civil Society Support and Social Audit Services (SASCAS) and Prime Minister’s Nutrition Award.
WFP Timor-Leste’s new Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2025 has been drafted. This CSP is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2021-2025 and will be further discussed with the government prior to the November Executive Board meeting.
WFP conducted meetings with local restaurants and NGOs to plan and establish a Long-Term Agreement with potential partners for the provision of ready-to-eat food, such as hot meals and drinking water, to improve emergency preparedness and response efforts.
WFP procured additional High Energy Biscuits to replenish emergency food reserves used to respond to natural disasters that occur in the country.
WFP continued to provide technical support to the Scaleup Nutrition Secretariat under the Prime Minister’s Office to finalize the M&E framework of the Consolidated National Action Plan for Nutrition and Food Security.
WFP received 1 mt of Super Cereal, as the first consignment of China’s contribution, to support malnourished pregnant and lactating mothers in Timor-Leste.
WFP finalized the information, education, and communications materials for the upcoming Super Cereal distribution and rice fortification campaign.
WFP continued to provide support for the maintenance of the rice milling machine in Tibar for packing fortified rice.
WFP identified vendors to procure two blending machines to support the rice fortification activities of domestic millers.
WFP provided training to officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry on the technical and policy aspects of rice fortification.
WFP donated 70 plastic pallets to the State Secretariat of Civil Protection for their mobile storage units to improve their stock (food and non-food items) management.
WFP allocated funding to the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion to support the reorganization and clean-up of their warehouses in preparation for incoming food items.
WFP conducted a warehouse management training for 20 staff from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Industry(MTCI).
WFP finalized supply chain and logistics questionnaires for the upcoming assessments. The assessments aims to preparethe food assistance for the vulnerable populations in the country, which was made posible through the contribution from Japan.
WFP and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries continued joint price monitoring activities for food security.
WFP developed questionnaires for upcoming assessments to evaluate emergency preparedness and response, warehouse conditions, and school profiles.
WFP shared the analysis of the government’s basic food basket program (Cesta Basica 2.0) with MTCI to enhacne the programme’s effectiveness and inclusiveness of food assistance.
WFP developed a monitoring and evaluation framework and reporting format for the Super Cereal program, which will be implemented with the support of contributions from China, and the General Food Distribution Program through the contribution from Japan.
WFP conducted training for a market assessment in Dili to ensure accurate data collection and effective coordination.
According to WFP’s market price monitoring, a marginal increase in the price of local rice was observed in April 2022, compared to the previous month (May 2022). For the next few weeks, fresh harvests are expected to arrive at local markets.
While the prices of imported rice continue to show an upward trend both at the local and global level, they remain lower compared to a year-on-year measure. Considering the high level of global uncertainty, including the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, WFP together with the Government of Timor-Leste, will continue to monitor food and non-food item prices to to respond to food security needs in the country.
In addition to the Governments efforts to raise the national vaccination rates, malnutrition prevention and treatment services require more investments and provisions for the vulnerable populations in Timor-Leste after the April floods 2021 and in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.