Context
Having found its sovereignty in 2002, Timor-Leste is one of the world’s youngest countries. As the country finds stability, the development of the agriculture sector is rapidly becoming an important pillar for the structural transformation of the country’s economy.
Timor-Leste currently faces enormous economic upheaval, as its oil reserves begin to run dry. In its place, coffee is set to become that nation’s most vital export. In Timor-Leste, our work is currently focussed namely in the municipality of Ermera. One of thirteen municipalities in the country, it is home to the largest coffee production volumes, whilst almost 60% of the municipality's population live below the poverty line. Coffee is Timor-Leste’s most important crop, and with the end of oil income, improving the coffee sector is of critical importance. Coffee is the second-highest earner for the country after oil, with 37% of households depend on coffee for income.
However, productivity is extremely low, alongside profitability which is both low and volatile. This is because almost all coffee is sold in the commodity market for a discounted C price. Globally, we use a framework to compare options of where and how we work in terms of potential for economic and social impact.
Natural Process
We are excited to present you coffee from the suco (village) of Koileki. Cherry from Koileki is collected daily at the Koileki Wet Mill, situated at 1800 MASL. Cherry is first floated in water, to separate the fruit by density. The higher the density, the higher the quality
of the coffee. This leaves the low density, less mature cherries to float to the surface, which are easily removed from the water. The Raimutin station staff then meticulously hand-sort the freshly picked and sorted cherry, removing all damaged or underripe fruit. The cherry is then transported to raised beds, where they are dried in high sun for three weeks. The staff turn the lots regularly to ensure even airflow and sun contact. When the cherries have reached their perfect drying level, the seeds are removed from the cherry and prepared for export. The remaining cherry is not discarded, rather, it is saved for redistribution as fertiliser to the farmers who grew them.
