DILI, 01 april 2024 (TATOLI) – Permaculture Timor-Leste (PERMATIL) had saved and revived more than 500 springs in Timor-Leste.
PERMATIL’s Executive Director, Ego Lemos, said that many springs have dried up for more than 20 years: “With the creation of many small traditional dams, we can now revive and save these springs.”
He said that PERMATIL started its water conservation by creating small traditional dams in Timor-Leste in 2008.
“PERMATIL has been working tirelessly in creating the traditional small dams to conserve water up in the hills during the rainy season: “So, we have created many new springs through this practice.”
He said to save, revive, or create the new springs, the first step is creating the traditional dams up in the hills to conserve the rainwater: “hen, we would start planting the trees in the surrounding areas of the dams. It takes two years to revive the dying springs,” Lemos described.
Lemos emphasized that the conservation of the springs was successfully implemented due to the close collaboration between PERMATIL and the local authorities and farmers.
“The communities of more than 500 villages across Timor-Leste can now have access to these springs,” Lemos told TATOLI in Dili.
He said in addition to consumption, farmers can also use the dams and springs to grow their crops and vegetables during the dry season.
“PERMATIL will continue to work with local authorities to create more traditional dams to help revive more of our springs,” he added.
Previously, he said that in order for the government to solve water scarcity in the country, Timor-Leste requires a National Policy on Protection and Conservation of Water Sources.
“I think it is important for the government to introduce a National Policy on Protection and Conservation of Water Sources in the country. For instance, if the government wants to build a public building, it needs to think about how to save water through that building during the rainy season,” he said.
Lemos emphasized that PERMATIL is committed to working with the government, development partners, international non-governmental organizations, community members, local authorities, the elders, and youths to continue preserving and enhancing public lakes, creating new lakes, and drainage water to prevent water from pouring into the rivers: “This will lead us to restore more water underground, prevent erosion, and restoring our ecology. Then we would have enough water for planting and growing more trees.”
He said Timor-Leste had seen an increase in soil erosion due to deforestation, infrastructure development (modern houses), and slash-and-burn agriculture.
Lemos called on the communities to stop cutting down the trees, stop abandoning their animals, and stop practicing slash-and-burn agriculture practices to prevent forest fire in the country.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
