Policy Framework for Agricultural Extension in Timor Leste.

This Policy Framework for Agricultural Extension is a nationwide sectoral document aiming at presenting indicative goals, policies, and strategies for implementation of the new National Agricultural Extension System (NAES), as mandated of DNADCA under the Organic Law of 2008. It has been prepared at a time when MAF and the new National Directorate for Agricultural Community Development and Extension (DNADCA), established under Article 12 of the Organic Law, have already taken a number of significant policy decisions in regard to the new extension service. The policies outlined in this document must therefore be regarded as interim. A first Policy Framework for the sector was developed by MAFF in 2004 and, successively, the IV Constitutional Government set out priorities for the sector, centered on achieving the following main objectives (i) food security, through increased production and productivity beyond subsistence level; (ii) contribute to economic growth through promoting/increasing export earnings, employment creation, enhancing technical and management capacity in all sub-sectors; (iii) strengthen agricultural infrastructure. The Vision for MAF is to have by 2020 sustainable, competitive and prosperous agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries that support improved living standards for the nation’s people.
To help eliminate hunger and malnutrition, the NAES will be responsible for (i) a rapid increase in food production and farm incomes, with priority attention to increased rice production; (ii) introduction, local validation and adoption of simple, proven technologies that can quickly improve productivity and food security (in particular, rice production).
More productive and sustainable agriculture will be encouraged by the establishment of the new national agricultural extension system that will guide farmers to help them to learn about the potential benefits of new technologies and will be built around a detailed knowledge and analysis of farmers’ production problems, constraints, and potentials. This, together with (i) increased investment in irrigation infrastructure and rice production; (ii) adoption of specialized production zones; (iii) adoption of a coordinated rural development framework; (iv) establishment of agricultural resource centers; (v) development of monitoring and timely reporting systems with regard to local problems and on key indicators of productivity.
Rural poverty will be countered by (i) sustainable increases in farm incomes; (ii) increased employment through job creation in rural areas.
To enhance more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the role of the Government is to (i) intervene directly in internal markets; (ii) supply directly inputs to farmers to stimulate production; (iii) encourage profitable, market-driven production; (iv) improve marketing of agricultural produce and the commercial development of agriculture; (v) improve local capacity in leadership, organizing, planning, problem-solving and self-reliance in the villages (sucos); (vi) improve community access to resources by mobilizing, accessing and utilizing both local and external resources. The MAF is committed to a policy of equity in the delivery of extension services to remote communities and to disadvantaged groups within communities and to those that are not served by the private sector or civil society.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the NAES will 7operate on (i) promotion of sustainable management of natural resources; (ii) formulation of policies and strategies to manage these risks to agriculture and food security.
As for Governance, DNADCA will work with MAF and the Directorates to implement this Policy by ensuring technical support for the proposals already approved for the Agro-Community Development Fund and, under coordination with the local authorities, to monitor the implementation of the projects (as per Organic Law).