DILI, 14 september 2023 ( TATOLI)– The Ministry of Agriculture Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry (MALFF) through the Secretariat of State for Fisheries and WordFish conduct the national workshop on ” Climate Vulnerability and Community Adoption Planning,” to empower the fishers to increase fishing activity and Aquaculture industry in Timor-Leste.
The Secretary of State for Fisheries, Domingos da Costa dos Santos, said the objective of this national workshop is to present the findings of the climate vulnerability risk assessment stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback input on adoption and approaches that will promote sustainability outcomes.
“This national workshop is very crucial. Participants focus on this topic to enhance their knowledge to apply in their activities every day” the Secretary of State for Fisheries Domingos da Costa dos Santos, told reporters in the office of MALLF, Comoro Dili.
Timor-Leste has a lot of fish but sometimes the climate change that happens in this country has serious consequences for fisheries, especially those whose lives depend on fishing. Therefore this national workshop will facilitate them to use the proper fishing methods with their existing skills.
“We observe that many fishers decide not to fish during the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, which will put their life at risk, therefore to continue to support their activity and economy we wish to empower them by using the method for Aquaculture and another fishing method to continue their activities in any time, and with the sufficient skills the fishers and fish farming will catch more fish to support the nutrition in Timor – Leste,” he said.
At the same place Technical Coordinator of Worldfish in Timor-Leste, David Mills, said WorldFish had become a partner of MALLF since 2014 in empowering the fishers and fish farming to produce the income in Timor-Leste.
To continue to strengthen the cooperation Global Environment Facility (GEF) has doneted $ 4 million through WorldFish to empower the fishers and fish farming in seven municipalities including 14 Post Administrative and 20 villages.
“We have implemented the vulnerability risk assessment program on climate change since 2022 in the 20 villages in seven municipalities, Aileu, Bobonaro, Covalima, Lautem, Viqueque, and Oé-Cusse. This National workshop is to evaluate the programs which were implemented in 2022 and will be continued until 2027 during five years to empower the fishers and fish farming to provide input on adoption and approaches that will promote sustainability outcomes,” he concluded.
Based on the MALLF s data over 8000 fishers benefit from this World Fish program, Of the total fishers, 6000 belong to 1300 fishing groups, and 2000 fishers belong to 700 fish farming groups.
Journalist : Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia B.
