​TIMOR-LESTE IS A YOUNG NATION, WHERE COFFEE HAS BECOME THE MOST VITAL CROP TO SECURE THE COUNTRY’S FUTURE.

In 2002, Timor-Leste became the first new independent state of the 21st century. This was preceded by 25 years of conflict that had claimed 200,000 lives and destroyed all infrastructure, pushing most into extreme poverty. Currently, Timor-Leste is the country most reliant on oil for income, a rapidly depleting resource. Coffee is their most important and profitable crop and is the nation’s second largest export.​

The importance of coffee to thousands of smallholder families cannot be overstated. Approximately 77,000 families depend on coffee for income, impacting approximately 37.6% of all households. A 2011 survey of over 800 households (5,300 individuals) conducted in Ermera district reported that more than half of the households surveyed rely on coffee for the majority of their income. More than a quarter surveyed stated that they received more than 90% of their income from coffee.​

We are working closely with Raw Material (our green sourcing partner) to help improve the total value and profitability of Timor-Leste’s coffee sector, in the most efficient and direct ways possible. These include raising coffee quality, increasing productivity, and building demand in markets that offer higher, stable prices.