TOMAK's goal is to ensure rural households live more prosperous and sustainable lives. TOMAK will achieve this through two parrallel and linked outcomes: - Outcome 1: Economic Opportunity - Local commercial producers are partnering sustainably and profitably with agribusiness and service providers in selected agricultural value chains. - Outcome 2: Household Food Security and Nutrition - Locally relevant partners trigger household demand for year round production and utlisation of diverse and sufficient food
TOMAK is Australia's flagship rural development program in Timor-Leste, building on previous programming that has established a deep engagement with rural communities. The Program is currently working in 66 suco in three municipalities (Baucau, Bobonaro and Viqueque) with a primary focus on improving household food security and nutrition, and helping rural families engage in profitable agricultural markets. TOMAK commenced in June 2016 and will run for an initial five year period, with the possibility of being extended for an additional five years to 2026.
Selected key achievements to date include: (i) development of a nutrition sensitive agriculture training curriculum and roll-out to 170 MAF agriculture extension workers (AEWs) and implementing partner staff; (ii) partnership with international and national NGOs to support more diversified production of nutritious food in 66 suco, and to influence nutrition-related behavior of target communities; (iii) development of improved Good Agricultural Practice manuals for mung beans, peanuts red rice, maize and onions, and subsequent training of 61 AEWs in improved production practices ; (iv) establishment of 64 on-farm demonstrations of new production techniques or varieties, and training of 1,244 farmers through Farmer Field Schools and Farmer Field Days; (v) development of an agribusiness training curriculum and subsequent training of 95 AEWs and 255 farmers covering basic agribusiness skills; (vi) support for roll-out of MAF's Newcastle Disease vaccination campaign for chickens; (vii) completion of gendered marketplace assessments for four municipal and administrative post markets, designed to identify major issues associated with operation of these facilities.
