Resilensia Di’ak: Final Report

The program was designed to address the root causes of farmers' livelihoods being highly sensitive to natural disasters, strengthen disaster response and restoration capacity, and improve access to quality foods year-round. ReDi's theory of change was that by increasing disaster resistance and food self-sufficiency through improved access to essential food production inputs, grain and rainwater storage systems, and promotion of climate-smart and gender-inclusive agriculture and aquaculture production systems, the resilience of poor and vulnerable farming households would be increased. Between February 2019 and December 2020, Mercy Corps, CRS, local partners, and market agents led interventions that improved households' resilience. Ninety-nine percent of endline respondents reported that one or more ReDi components had helped them cope with or be resilient through shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and unpredictable rainfall. Savings and Loans Groups and permagardens were the specific interventions that endline respondents said helped their household's resilience. More broadly, 55% of endline respondents reported that their household's capacity to deal with disasters had improved. The program achieved significant food security improvements in the midst of a trying year. Despite widespread shocks and stressors, 87% of endline respondents reported that they now have enough food to meet their family's needs every month. Household dietary diversity scores have increased slightly, from an average of 7.6 at baseline to 8.1 at endline. The program also implemented at scale in 12 out of Timor-Leste's 13 municipalities, reaching 16,205 households (88,369 individuals) through Sector 1: Agriculture and Food Security activities and 9,372 households/market actors (53,420 individuals) through Sector 2: Economic Recovery and Market Systems activities. The Community Development Agent (CDA) model proved a central and effective delivery mechanism for the program. CDAs played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing agricultural and aquacultural input and supply services, technical training and coaching, and savings and loan support during months where travel was limited. The CDA model was strongly affirmed by participants, with 96% of endline respondents reporting that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the support provided by their CDA. The program also increased women's decision-making power and promoted inclusion. From baseline to endline, there was an 8% - 20% increase in reports of women taking a lead or active role in household purchasing, food consumption, and sales decisions. Both female and male respondents indicated that a female member of their household now has the 'final say' on small and large household purchasing decisions, and on whether to sell or consume produce, poultry, and livestock – or that those decisions are shared. The program refined its layering and sequencing approach to achieve stronger and deeper impact. ReDi built on a model piloted during OFDA's CROPS investment, and focused on using a sequencing and layering approach. Savings and Loan Groups formed the backbone for outreach around a bundled/tailored package of development products and interventions that were relevant and new for vulnerable rural households across Timor-Leste. When savings and lending activities were functioning properly, the CDA 'loaded' the group with additional training and activities designed to improve their food security and generate income for members to save.