Our philosophy

We want to be a different coffee player.

Here you can read how.

Measure #1

Better living conditions for coffee farmers

Living conditions are difficult to both define and improve. Based on research on Timorese coffee farmers and their households, we want to develop the following areas: 

Challenge #1

Low and unstable income

Intervention

Pay a premium of 100 %

Paying a higher unit price in low production years

Outcome

Increase net household income

Stable income that enables investments in your own farm or education

Challenge #2

High degree of malnutrition

Intervention

Finance food with added nutritional content

Educate households about healthy and nutritious food.

Outcome

Reduced level of chronic malnutrition

A more diverse nutritional intake

Challenge #3

Vulnerable to natural disasters

Intervention

Establish an emergency fund

Educate locals about various measures that can reduce the dangers of floods and landslides. Implement effective measures. 

Outcome

Access to capital in the aftermath of a disaster

Reduced vulnerability to disasters

In 2022, Kria dalan carried out a flood project in Lemorana. The village was severely affected by the 2021 flood, including one death and many families losing everything they owned. The aim of the project was to increase local expertise in preventive flood measures. 


Measure #2

Establish a sustainable, locally managed export company

Many value chains within specialty coffee in East Timor are run by foreign forces. We believe it is important for the future of East Timor that several value chains are led and managed by East Timorese themselves. 

Challenge #1

Lack of knowledge and insight into exports and global markets

Intervention

Education about global value chains and consumer trends 

Improve English skills

Outcome

Establish relationships with importers in consumer markets. 

Challenge #2

Lack of access to risk capital

Intervention

Konfiansa Norway invests in Konfiansa Timor-Leste and pays a premium when buying coffee. 

Outcome

Konfiansa Timor-Leste can grow without external funding

Challenge #3

Lack of knowledge about 'best-practices'

Intervention

Education about the ?cup of excellence? and the connection between quality, cup score and farm practices. 

Outcome

Konfiansa Timor-Leste can help farmers to produce high quality coffee. 

Do you think relationship coffee contributes positively or negatively [to the coffee industry in East Timor]? 

I think they have contributed a lot of good. After we became independent, they secured a market for our coffee. But we must give more power to the farmer and local forces. 

What do you mean by power? 

Ownership. We have to prepare locals to take over and manage the value chains and exports [?]. We should let locals run companies and have their own creativity. 

Do you think that some interventions can have a negative effect on local entrepreneurship? 

One should think about whether a society can take ownership itself. I believe that it is almost time - after all, it has been 20 years since we gained our independence. It is not sustainable if the industry remains dependent on these structures.

Interview with a Timorese industrialist, 2023