Strengthening safety nets to respond to a food security crisis

• In Event: Improving education outcomes and mitigating shocks through an integrated literacy and school feeding program

Proposal

As a young country, Timor-Leste has made substantial progress in increasing access to safety nets for its poorest citizens since before the COVID-19 pandemic, including cash transfers to vulnerable mothers, in-kind provision of food staples and hygiene items (‘essential basket’), and disaster relief packages. The national School Feeding Program is the largest safety net program in country, established in 2008 and reaching all basic education institutions. The program intends to improve student nutritional outcomes and motivation to attend school; reduce dropout rates; and support the development of the local economy. This ambitious program is widely supported by school communities, but has faced multiple operational issues, including delayed disbursement of funds, insufficient allocations to cover the cost of balanced meals, and incorrect implementation by schools, which ultimately hindered its impact on education outcomes. Over the past two years, major revisions have been made to the program’s framework, including the use of new disbursement mechanisms, an increased cost per child, and a strengthened framework for participatory accountability at school and municipal levels. This presentation will discuss the impact of those changes in the efficiency and effectiveness of the school feeding program and how it is contributing to an integrated response to mitigate the impact of food insecurity in Timor-Leste’s education system.

Author

• Crispin Lopes Moniz, Ministerio da Educacao, Juventude e Desporto