Farmers in Uatulari receive agricultural equipment to increase production and food security
On April 8th, 2026, the Government, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), distributed agricultural equipment to 28 farmer groups at the Uatulari Administrative Post in the municipality of Viqueque to increase production and strengthen food security. 
The initiative involved distributing 28 rotary tillers and 28 rice threshers to farmers in eight villages across the region. Each group received a set of equipment to support local agricultural activities and improve efficiency in soil preparation and post-harvest processing.
The initiative forms part of a two-year pilot programme developed jointly by the National Council for Food Sovereignty, Food Security, and Nutrition in Timor-Leste (CONSSANTL – acronym in Portuguese) and the FAO, covering the municipalities of Covalima and Viqueque, as part of the food systems transformation project funded by the United Nations Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund.
During the ceremony in the village of Afaloikai, the Chief of Staff to the Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, Arantes Isac Sarmento, emphasised the importance of boosting agricultural production as the foundation of food sovereignty and highlighted the collaborative efforts of various institutions in identifying beneficiaries and implementing the programme.
“Timor-Leste is a country of hardworking people. Independence was achieved through hard work, and it is in that same spirit that we must continue to work the land to ensure our own food production and reduce our dependence on foreign sources,” he said.
The official noted that Uatulari was once one of the country’s main agricultural production areas and called for the responsible use of the equipment now being delivered to increase productivity. According to the data presented, the region has approximately 4,000 hectares of farmland, of which about 300 hectares are currently under cultivation.
As part of the same initiative, the FAO also provided four motorcycles to technicians from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forests to support project implementation and field activity monitoring.
Representatives from CONSSANTL, the FAO in Timor-Leste, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry, and the National Police of Timor-Leste, along with local authorities, community leaders, and beneficiary groups, attended the ceremony.
The delivery of this equipment directly benefited approximately 280 farmers and forms part of the Government’s efforts to boost agricultural production and promote food security in the country.
