In the small village of Betano, nestled in the lush landscapes of central Timor-Leste, a simple dispute over a humble legume has caused a quiet revolution to take root.

It all started in 2019, when the women in the village became interested in piloting climate-smart agriculture techniques, and in particular conservation agriculture, which were being promoted in the area by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Following FAO's advice, the women wanted to try mulching the fields with "lehe," also known as green velvet beans, a type of local vine known to replenish soil nutrients. The men were skeptical, but the women understood the importance of enriching the soil.

With financial support from the European Union, FAO assisted the women in setting up their own farmers' group, which they named Fehama (meaning "Women Loving Each Other" in the local Tetum language). FAO also provided them with hand-held tractors, trailers, storage silos and other farming tools. Together with other farmers' groups, they began to grow corn, leafy vegetables, papaya, cassava and bananas in their newly mulched land.

Their goal was to produce enough to both feed family members and improve livelihoods.

"We realized that by following FAO guidance, our productivity could progress further," said Prisca da Costa, a founding member of Fehama.

With the women now firmly on the path of climate-smart agriculture, FAO, with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), provided further assistance to Fehama by way of technical support and training on conservation agriculture techniques. These included important methods such as applying minimum soil disturbance (meaning no tillage) and diversifying plant species, with crops such as mung beans, in addition to maintaining permanent soil cover.

Together, the women of Fehama embarked on a journey that would see their fields filled with a variety of crops, adding vibrant greens to their harvest.

And so, a simple seed of contention sprouted into abundant and diversified farms, along with a flourishing women's farming collective.

Homegrown school feeding: a win-win

With the new harvests exceeding their expectations, a new challenge arose: Where to place their products?

"In the beginning, when we started conservation agriculture with the FAO team, we did not have much confidence that we would be able to sell the products on the market," recalls Joaquina Branco, from the cooperative Hakmoton, which also benefited from FAO support.

At the time, local farmers relied on selling their products at the central municipal market, where oversupply drove prices down.

Instead, FAO helped Fehama and other farmers groups find alternative ways to sell the products.

One obvious candidate was the government's Merenda Eskolar, a national social protection programme that provides free meals to children in elementary school. FAO connected the farmers' groups to Merenda Eskolar to provide them with stable customers while supplying the children with nutritious food.

In Timor-Leste, 75 percent of the population does not have enough food, and almost half of its children under five years old are stunted, making the Merenda Eskolar programme a vital component of the government's efforts to improve food security and nutrition, heighten social protection for children and support the economic inclusion of farmers.

FAO, in partnership with the local organization Hamutuk Ita Ajuda Malu Health and the local government, facilitated the stipulation of contracts between farmers and small enterprises that manage the school feeding programme in Manufahi municipality. FAO also advised on appropriate diets rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, as well as more efficient cooking methods.

"The Merenda Eskolar programme has changed our way of producing," Joaquina says. "Previously, we produced more food crops rich in carbohydrates. Now, we focus on horticulture, which brings more nutritional benefits and has more value than other food crops because it has a daily market demand."

This connection meant a stable source of nutrition for the school children and a regular income for the women's group.

"We store the products here. The programme comes to buy them and takes them to the schools. They pay us and we use the earnings to support our children with their school needs. We use the rest of the money to buy food and seeds to replant," Prisca says.

In all, FAO and its partners also trained over 70 food preparers, teachers and parents on balanced and nutritious meals for children, hygiene and food safety.

Finally, to improve school kitchen facilities, FAO delivered kitchen utensils, steel trays for serving food, silos for storing cereals, water filters, refrigerators, crates, boxes for food storage and stainless-steel tables for food processing.

Empowerment and community

The project has not only helped provide income and nutritious food for the women but has also fostered a sense of self-reliance and empowerment. No longer are the women of Fehama trying to convince men how to grow their crops. They have proof of their success and the backing knowledge provided by FAO.

At the same time, the nutritious food provided to the schools has helped ensure that the village children are well-nourished and better able to learn. This creates a ripple effect, contributing to a healthier and better educated community.

In 2023 alone, the programme reached 18 schools in Manufahi municipality, providing 10 of these with a direct food supply for over 2 400 students.

FAO plans to further strengthen Merenda Eskolar and replicate it in other parts of the country.

The Right to Food is a universal human right. This year, we are advocating for that and more. The foods that feed us need to take into account diversity, nutrition, affordability, accessibility as well as safety and sustainability. Over 2.8 billion people are still unable to afford a healthy diet. As we move toward World Food Day on October 16, FAO is emphasizing that the right to the foods, which meet all of these pillars, is crucial for a better life and a better future for all.

The story and photos can be found here: https://www.fao.org/newsroom/story/a-seed-of-contention-turns-seed-of-abundance-in-timor-leste/en

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