Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Timor-Leste)

Agriculture is the main activity in Timor-Leste, providing subsistence to an estimated 80% of the population. It also generates an average of 90% of the exports, mainly due to coffee. Most farmers practice subsistence farming, planting and harvesting what they need for a simple life-style, collecting wild foods and traditional medicines, and the animals are very much left free to grow and reproduce. There are almost no large scale farms except for missions.

 
Timor has given unique contributions to world´s agriculture. It is recognized as the home of "Timor Hybrid", a coffee variety which combines resistance to the rust disease Hemileia vastatrix, and produces a coffee with quality almost as good as the Arabica. Some authors (For example Rui Cinnati) also recognize Timor as the origin of Sandal wood.