DILI, 01 february 2023 (TATOLI)— The State Secretariat for Environmental Affairs (SSE) revealed Coffee decarbonization program benefited over 6,000 coffee farming households.
Decarbonization is the process of removing or reducing man-made carbon emissions to achieve zero emissions. Net zero emission is the balance between the amount of emission and its absorption so that it is not released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.
SEA, Demétrio do Amaral de Cravalho said, decarbonization is a Government program to increase the performance of coffee farmers by providing incentives to replant coffee trees on their land.
“We provide intensive assistance to around 6,000 families. This was also due to coffee yields are declining to 51,000 hectares from 72,000 hectares, which equal to 20.000 hectares lost of coffee,” Demétrio do Amaral de Cravalho said this Monday to Tatoli exclusively at the SEA office.
It was stated that many coffee farmers pruned the coffee trees because they were not getting enough profit and according to available data, only 29% of the people in Timor-Leste depend on coffee, around 300,000 with an income of only around $300 per year.
Based on this concern, the Government initiated a decarbonization program to increase the coffee trees back to the past 72,000 hectares to form an ecosystem through secondary succession.
The definition of secondary succession is the formation of an ecosystem that has been damaged to its initial undisturbed state. This transformation will also make the soil more fertile, sequester carbon and provide ecosystems for biodiversity such as returning mammals and natural habitats that previously existed.
Through this program, each farmer receives $0.21 for each coffee tree planted on their land. That is, 1,000 coffee trees can earn $210. In 2022, SEA implemented a $1.9 million program for 6,000 coffee farming families who grow coffee with up to 7 million coffee trees.
“They have planted and we have carried out verification and validation, we will promote them for the carbon market. Because the current carbon market is very potential. For every tree planted with a height of 1.2 meters and a diameter of 22 centimeters can earn $0.50 on the carbon market,” he explained.
It stated that the beneficiaries of the decarbonization program were coffee farmers in 12 municipalities excluding RAEOA and Ataúro.
He advised the community to re-plant coffee and other trees because this will provide benefits for future generations, especially when the carbon market is very potential.
According to data from 2012 to date, some farmers who benefit can reach $ 4,000 with planting 8,000.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sa
Editor: Nelia B.
