Timor-Leste Facing High Food Insecurity, Latest Report Warns

ON 04/18/2024 AT 10 : 36 AM

Timor-Leste’s second round of Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Food Insecurity analysis just published reveals the fragility and deteriorating levels of food insecurity in twelve out of fourteen municipalities in Timor-Leste, amid the highest inflation rate in a decade and successive climate shocks and soaring food prices.

An estimated 360,000 people, around one in four of the population, are grappling with crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above); of which 18,500 people are facing emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4). The situation is predicted to worsen from May to September 2024 during the post-harvest season, traditionally seen as a period of improved food access.

Food security is expected to deteriorate further with forecasted climate shocks expected to reduce crop yields, with a projected 19,000 people between May and September across six municipalities facing a further decline in their food security. This will also push up the total number of people in emergency (IPC4) food conditions to more than 22,000.

The IPC Analysis uses a set of internationally recognized tools and procedures to estimate the food insecurity situation in a country. The analysis was conducted from November to December 2023 by a Technical Working Group comprising of 30 government, United Nations, and NGO representatives, facilitated by WFP co-facilitators and an IPC regional coordinator.