Timor-Leste’s Resilient Pig Farmers I Pro-poor Growth Story

Pigs are considered a store of wealth and serve important social and economic needs in Timor Leste. A 2019 census shows that an estimated 81 per cent of farming households in Timor-Leste, or 54 per cent of all households, reared a total of more than 450,000 pigs. Despite the importance of pigs, the sector faces several challenges, including limited productive pig breeds and piglets, lack of commercial feed, and the need for more information on good rearing practices and animal health. In 2019, African Swine Fever, a highly contagious pig disease with no vaccine or treatment, wreaked havoc in the country. It is estimated that the diseases wiped out half of Timor-Leste’s pig population.