Impact Assessment of ACIAR supported Seeds of Life Program

Posted on Mar 4 2025 by a1777963
Seedling- Photos by Rio Maligalig

Background

Seeds of Life (SoL) was a program within Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), funded by the Australian and Timorese governments, to enhance national food security by improving crop productivity and reducing reliance on imported seeds. SoL focused on expanding food crop production, increasing seed choices, strengthening seed distribution networks, and establishing a national seed certification system.

The program was implemented in three phases:

  • Phase 1 (2000-2004): Conducted research trials on various crops to improve varietal selection.
  • Phase 2 (2005-2011): Expanded to on-farm trials, incorporating farmers’ preferences and agronomic tests.
  • Phase 3 (2011-2016): Focused on multiplying and distributing seeds, collaborating with government, community, and private sectors.

To achieve its goals, SoL worked together with the government of Timor Leste to establish agricultural research as the basis for the national seed system. Activities were carried out at the national, intermediate (district, municipality, and suco), and household levels encompassing institutional governance development, infrastructure investments, capacity building, gender equity initiatives, research for development, extension services, and community engagement. These activities resulted in a diverse set of outputs and outcomes at different levels, which are the focus of this evaluation.

    SoL-2

    Project Objectives

    The evaluation aims to answer the following research questions:

    1. Are the SoL-developed institutions at the national and intermediate level still in place and operating to provide program benefits/products? If so, what type(s) are still in place, and what have slipped down in stature and/or disappeared?
    2. Is the seed certification institutional system still operating? If so, in what form and with what advantages relative to the original scope and intent?
    3. Are the seed distribution and certification institutional systems still functioning across all levels? Is the infrastructure associated with those systems still in place and, if not, what no longer exists and why?
    4. Have the household institutional benefits (e.g. adoption of improved varieties, increased yields, increased income, reduced poverty, improved food security, enhanced food nutrition, continued availability of seed variety options, increased gender opportunities, educational advances, increased credit availability) continued in some form? If not, what is no longer present and why?

    Project Partners

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