Overview:

The MDG-F Joint Programme Promoting Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security in Timor-Leste addressed the underlying conditions that contribute to chronic and acute undernutrition through a harmonized approach utilizing both technical support and long-term capacity building. 

The joint programme contributed to improving the health and nutrition status of under-five children and pregnant and lactating mothers through strengthening the institutional capacity of Ministry of Health’s (MoH) implementation of the Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme to treat malnourished children. The prevalence of underweight under-five children reduced from 45.7% at the beginning of the JP to 28.9% in 2012.

It also supported the establishment of 94 vegetable farmer groups, 32 small-scale livestock farmer groups and 13 fish farmer groups with training, tools, seeds and technical support services. These farmer groups in turn established 1,600 home gardens, 30 small scale livestock farms and 13 fish farms. By the end of the JP 2,013 households were consuming products from their gardens/farms and selling the surplus products.

These capacity building efforts contributed in strengthening the institutional capacity of the MoH and improved implementation, monitoring, recording and reporting in the programme districts. The trained staff members and volunteers conducted community mobilization to screen and provide treatment for 3,229 severely malnourished children. Some 1,513 children aged 6-23 months received Micro Nutrient Powder. 

Training to students, teachers and parents on nutrition, food safety and school gardens together with the establishment of demonstrative vegetable gardens in 98 schools contributed to increasing nutrition awareness as well as vegetable consumption.

The joint programme helped strengthen the food security and nutrition surveillance system through capacity building of central and field level Government officials on data collection, compilation, analysis,  and supported the establishment of a database for the Food Security Information and Early Warning System (FSIEWS) not only in the four target districts but in all 13 districts of Timor-Leste as well as at the central level.

Outcome 1:

Improved health and nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women and under-five children in 4 selected districts.

Outcome Achievements:

• The JP provided technical and financial supports to the MoH for scaling up micronutrient supplementation for young children and pregnant and lactating women.
• Training of 5 MoH staff at central level, 387 health staff of 64 Community Health Centers (CHCs) and 167 Health Posts (HPs), as well as 1,540 community health volunteers in identification and screening of malnourished children, referral, out-patient and in-patient services, integration of IYCF (infant and young child feeding), distribution of Ready-to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and MNP.
• The JP supported the revision of the protocol for inpatient management of children with malnutrition and provided training to 54 medical facility workers on inpatient care and monitoring of patients in the referral hospitals.
• The JP supported in revising the 2004 National Nutrition Strategy in consultation with all relevant line ministries, development partners, donors and NGOs. (not finalized)
• The JP supported the MoH in community mobilization for early detection, referral and treatment of malnourished children.
• The JP supported the establishment of the Committee for Universal Salt Iodization and drafting the National Salt Iodization Law.
• The JP supported establishment of 94 vegetable farmer groups, 32 small scale livestock farmer groups and 13 fish farmer groups with training, tools, seeds and technical support services. These farmer groups established 1,600 home gardens, 30 small scale livestock farms and 13 fish farms.

Outcome 2:

20% more children access, and 25% more children complete, free compulsory quality basic education in 4 selected districts.

Outcome Achievements:

• Training was provided to students, teachers and parents on nutrition, food safety and school garden.
• This joint programme supported the establishment of demonstrative vegetable gardens in 98 schools in the programme districts with training to school teachers and students.
• Necessary farming tools and vegetable seeds were supplied for establishment of school gardens
• The JP promoted the use of products from the school gardens for school meals which contributed to increased nutrition awareness and practice at the schools as well as at the household level.

Outcome 3:

Food Security and Nutrition surveillance systems established and functioning at all sub-districts in 4 districts.

Outcome Achievements:

• Strengthening of the food security and nutrition surveillance system through capacity building of the central and field level Government officials on data collection, compilation and analysis and establishment of the database for the Food Security Information and Early Warning System (FSIEWS) for all 13 districts
• Provided training to the District Food Security Officers at the district level, Agriculture Extension Workers at the Suco level and members of the Inter Ministerial Taskforce for Food and Nutrition Security at the central level.
• Produced the fifth “Quarterly Situation Analysis Report” in September 2012 based on the data and information provided by the Agriculture Extension Workers through the District Food Security Officers.

Best practices:

• Joint programme interventions were fully aligned with the national development plans and in line with the long-term commitments of the programme implementing partners. Almost all interventions of the joint programme were linked with previous similar interventions to ensure continuation of the efforts.  
• National leadership and ownership was promoted at all stages of the programme cycle. Government leadership and participation was ensured in all committees and technical working groups established. 
• The joint programme implemented a significant number of capacity building interventions especially for the Government. 
• The joint programme promoted effective coordination and harmonization in programme implementation through regular coordination meetings.
• Participatory planning and decision making with adequate flexibility to accommodate situational changes and practical needs of the implementing partners.
• Sustainability plan developed and periodically up-dated to ensure sustenance of the programme results.

Lessons learned:

• Some opportunities of ‘Delivery as One’ could not be used due to delay in establishment of the Programme Management Unit.
• Different paces of work of the Participating UN Organizations affected the timely completion of the joint programme.
• The selection of the Participating UN Organizations and their partnership with Government and NGOs contributed to an effective implementation and achievement of the joint programme results.
• Joint monitoring visits were useful to identify areas for improvement and further develop coordination at the field level.
• The joint programme faced challenges in measuring the programme outcomes due to the lack of reliable data. No budget was allocated for the baseline survey. The joint programme used mostly process indicators to measure the programme results and failed to produce reliable statistics on the programme outcome level results. 

More details can be found in the documents below.