DILI, 08 April 2026 (TATOLI) — A community-based land management project backed by international partners is helping strengthen climate resilience and reduce deforestation across seven municipalities in Timor-Leste, officials said.
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, Marcos da Cruz, met Japan’s ambassador to Timor-Leste, Yamamoto Yasushi, and a representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Fukumori Daisuke, on April 7 for the fourth Joint Coordination Committee meeting of the project.
The initiative, funded by the Green Climate Fund and JICA with government support, has been under implementation since 2022. It covers 60 sucos across 14 administrative posts in four priority river basins: Mota Comoro, Mota Laclo, Mota Karau Ulun and Mota Tafara.
Under the programme, village-level regulations have been introduced to promote sustainable use of natural resources and strengthen community-based land management. These rules have been approved by municipal authorities and the central government, with local committees overseeing implementation through regular monitoring.
The project has already delivered tangible benefits, including the introduction of improved agricultural and land management practices such as tree planting, compost production, climate-resilient farming techniques and the rehabilitation of ageing coffee trees.
The Ambassador highlighted the project’s contribution to strengthening forest and environmental management through participatory land use and climate adaptation, reaffirming Tokyo’s support through JICA and collaboration with implementing partners.
Daisuke said participatory land-use planning has been completed in all 60 sucos, enabling communities to establish land-use rules and better understand the impacts of climate change on agricultural activities.
The meeting was also attended by municipal authority presidents and directors of municipal agricultural services from the seven municipalities covered by the project.
The initiative forms part of broader government efforts to promote sustainable natural resource management and enhance the resilience of rural communities to climate change.
TATOLI
