QUARTERLY REPORT: OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019 USAID’S AVANSA AGRIKULTURA PROJECT February 3, 2020 This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. (Cardno) for USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project, Contract number AID-472-C-15-00001. QUARTERLY REPORT: OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2019 USAID’S AVANSA AGRIKULTURA PROJECT Submitted by: Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd. Submitted to: USAID/Timor-Leste Contract No.: AID-472-C-15-00001 DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project Contents ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................................................III 1.INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................................. 6 2. REPORTING PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS............................................................................................................................ 7 2.1. SUB-PURPOSE 1 – IMPROVED ABILIT Y OF TIMORESE CIT IZENS T O ENGAGE IN ECONOMIC ACT IVIT IES ..............7 Output 1: Market Linkages Improved and Expanded Across the Horticulture Value Chain ......................... 7 2.2. SUB-PURPOSE 2 – INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY OF SELECTED HORTICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS........................10 Output 2: Sustainable Horticulture Productivity Improved at the Farm Level ................................................ 10 2.3. EMBEDDED THEMES.....................................................................................................................................................12 Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture ................................................................................................................................... 12 Incorporating Women and Youth.............................................................................................................................. 12 Partnerships with other donor agencies ................................................................................................................. 14 2.4. PRO JE CT ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEM ENT ........................................................................................................14 3. COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ............................................................................ 14 4. ENVIRONMENTAL REVI EW S .................................................................................................................................... 15 5. GRANTEE AND SUB-CONTRACTOR PROGRESS ............................................................................................. 18 6. SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................................................................ 19 7. KEY ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER ............................................................................................ 21 8. PMEP: YEAR 6 – QUARTER 1 ................................................................................................................................... 22 9. US AI D’ S AV ANS A AGRIKULTURA PROJECT OFFICE ORGANIGRAM ....................................................... 28 ANNEX 1: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO FARMER GROUPS ............................................................................. 29 ANNEX 2: CCA/NRM SALT TRAINING ......................................................................................................................... 42 Quarterly Report –October - December 2019 Page ii USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project Acronyms ADB Asian Development Bank AHME Associacao Hortikultura Municipio Ermera / Ermera’s Municipal Horticulture Association ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations ASHORTIL Associacao Horticultura de Timor Leste / Timor-Leste’s Horticulture Association (national level) APS Annual Program Statement BDS Business Development Services BSP Business Service Provider CBO Community-Based Organization CCA/NRM Climate Change Adaptation/ Natural Resource Management CCT Coffee Cooperative Timor Leste CNEFP National Vocational Training Center of Tibar COP Chief of Party CRS Catholic Relief Services CSA Climate Smart Agriculture DAC Developing Agricultural Communities DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) DG Director General EMMP Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan ENDIGO Employability and Income Generating Opportunities for Marginalized People FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FEEO Fundasaun Esperanca Eclave Oecusse (a women’s organization supporting various women’s groups throughout the country.) FONGTIL Forum ONG Timor Leste FTF Feed the Future GIZ German Society for International Cooperation GSC Grant Steering Committee HHs Households HIAM Hamutuk Ita Ajuda Malu Health (Local Health NGO) HBO Hanoin Ba Oin (Women’s herbal tea production association) HWG Horticulture Working Group IEE Initial Environmental Examination INDMO National Institute for the Development of Skilled Labor IO International Organization IOM International Organization for Migration IPM Integrated Pest Management JICA Japanese Government International Development and Aid Agency KJFL Kuna Juventude Fila Liman KONSSANTIL National Council on Food Security, Sovereignty and Nutrition in Timor Leste LBM Laledu Berrymatak M&E Monitoring and Evaluation Quarterly Report –October - December 2019 Page iii USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project MA Market Access (Technical Access) MAF Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries MCI Ministry of Commerce and Industry (formerly MCIE – Ministry of Commerce Industry and the Environment) MCIE Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Environment MDDW Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women MDF Market Development Facility MFI Micro Finance Institute MGA Millennium Green Agro MOE Ministry of Education MOH Ministry of Health MOU Memorandum of Understanding MSI Marie Stopes International MSME Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ND National Director NDCC National Directorate for Climate Change Adaptation NGO Non-Governmental Organization NRM Natural Resource Management NSA Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture NWG Nutrition Working Group PDHJ The Office of the Provider for Human Rights and Justice PHD Partnership for Human Development (DFAT funded project) PMEP Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan PNTL National Police of Timor-Leste RAEBIA Resilient Agriculture and Economy through Biodiversity in Action RFA Request for Application S&L Savings and Lending Club SALT Sloping Agricultural Land Technology SEIGIS Secretaria de Estado da Igualdade do Genero e Inclusao Social (Secretary of State for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion) SEPFOPE Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment Projects SHC Sharis Haburas Communidade SOLS Science of Life School SPS Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Standards SSE Secretary of State for Environment STTA Short Term Technical Assistant T&E Training and Extension TAF The Asia Foundation TOMAK To’os ba moris diak (Farming for Prosperity - DFAT funded project) TOT Training of Trainers TRM Tuba Rai Metin TWG Technical Working Group UNDP United Nations Development Program Quarterly Report –October - December 2019 Page iv USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project UNPAZ Universidade da Paz (Peace University) UNTL University of Timor-Leste USG United States Government ZOI Zone of Influence Quarterly Report –October - December 2019 Page v USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project 1.Introduction USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project is a horticulture value chain activity that addresses the key challenges of rural poverty, natural resource degradation, food insecurity, and under-nutrition. The value chain approach is applied to achieve increased productivity along key horticulture value chains that include vegetables, fruits and legumes. Through the promotion of sustainable production practices, increased functionality of farmer groups and associations, improved market linkages, and increased access to quality agricultural inputs, services and finance, the project is stimulating increased economic activity and growth in targeted rural communities and municipalities. Sustainability of these interventions is achieved as we work to maintain sound policies and a supportive enabling environment. Our efforts to increase resilience to climate change and improve farm-level natural resource management further builds the foundation for sustainability. The project supports the Development Objective of the USAID/Timor-Leste Mission: institutiona l and human capacity for development strengthened to improve the lives of Timor-Leste’s citizens. The overall purpose of USAID’s Avansa Agrikultura Project is to accelerate inclusive and sustainable economic growth through increased productivity and profitabilit y of the horticulture value chain and to support nutrition-smart agriculture interventions that help build food production, agriculture income, and women’s empowerment. This will be achieved through two project Sub-Purposes and two Embedded Themes. Sub-Purpose 1 – Improved Ability of Timorese Citizens to Engage in Economic Activities Within Sub-Purpose 1, four activities will be implemented: 1.1 Strengthen market linkages 1.2 Support