Finding agroforestry as a viable option to restore landscape, sustain agriculture, and provide multiple livelihood benefits, several initiatives on agroforestry have been commenced in Timor-Leste funded by different donors. The United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded projects on strengthening the community resilience along with the Dili to Anairo Road Development Corridor (DARDC) project, which was implemented from 2014 to 2019. The project aimed to build the resilience of watershed systems by improving natural resources management including forest, soil, and water in order to provide sustained ecosystem services to local communities. Agroforestry was considered as one of the key interventions to enhance ecosystem services
[4][1]. The project introduced agroforestry systems in more than 200 ha of community land and introduced the Fukuoka system as a non-destructive and cost-effective way of plantation in hilly regions. Until 2018, 84.5 hectares of agroforestry had been completed. The UNDP worked closely with the National Directorate of Forestry within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) to reduce potential risks from disaster alongside building the resiliency of local people through reforestation and agroforestry
[4][1]. The project used tara bandu (a local land law) to facilitate the planning and implementation of agroforestry at the community level
[4,34][1][2]. The activity involved the collaboration of local MAF extension officers and NGOs during implementation to support the replication and sustainability of the interventions
[4,34][1][2]. MAF has already been working with local and international NGOs to implement and promote reforestation interventions such as the planting of firewood trees (e.g.,
Casuarina), establishment of
Eucalyptus nurseries, and restoration of mangroves
[35][3]. Similarly, the European Union (EU) and Government of Germany through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) (in German:
Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung) have co-financed the project “Partnership for Sustainable Agroforestry” (PSAF), which has been implemented with the support of MAF in Timor-Leste from 2017 to 2022. The project aims to support more than 4000 households from four municipalities (Manatuto, Baucau, Viqueque, and Lautem) to adopt agroforestry and afforestation practice. The project has included a range of species such as Mahogany (
Swietenia spp.), Teak (
Tectona grandis), Sandalwood (
Santalum album), ai-saria (
Cedrella toona), Leucaena (
Leucaena spp.), Rosewood tree (
Dysoxylum arborescens), Orange (
Citrus sinensis), Snake fruit (
Salacca edulis), Mango (
Magnifera indica), and Cashew nut (
Anarcadium occidentale). The objective of the project is to provide an opportunity to marginalized people, in particular young men and women in rural areas, to benefit from better employment opportunities in the agroforestry systems of Timor-Leste. Specifically, this project aims to increase the productivity of agroforestry systems, strengthen the capacity of actors along with selected agroforestry value chains, improve the market access for selected agroforestry products (e.g., fruits and vegetables, raw and processed wood products), and improve the institutional and organizational framework for the promotion of agroforestry
[36][4].
Furthermore, as a component of PSAF, ERA-agroforestry (Enhancing Rural Access Agroforestry Project) is being implemented with the support of the EU, Germany, and the International Labor Organization (ILO). The objective of this project is to implement a capacity building and labor-based program to rehabilitate rural roads so as to improve access to agroforestry areas, employment, and economic opportunities for local population
[37][5].
The Agriculture Development Bank (ADB)
[38][6] has proposed an initiative on Innovative Partnerships for coffee and agroforestry development. The project envisaged that improvements in coffee production and processing offers one of the clearest pathways for reducing poverty and growing Timor-Leste’s non-oil economy. Coffee provides an important source of cash income for around 27.5% of Timorese households and is the largest non-oil export of the country
[39][7]. However, the coffee sector is currently operating far below its long-term potential due to low and volatile production, inconsistent quality, and weak sector management. Strengthening sector management and providing targeted support to smallholder producers can generate sustained increases in household income. If implemented at scale, this could have a significant impact on the national poverty rate and growth of non-oil exports
[39][7].
To help farmers defend their land ownership rights, adopt sustainable farming practices, and strengthen economic situations, an organization UNAER (Unian Agrikultor de Ermera) based in the Ermera municipality has been established in partnership with Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA
[36][4]. With the support of this project, the farmers have grown a variety of alternative fruits including banana, papaya, lemon, mandarin, etc., in the non-coffee season and sold directly to buyers
[40][8].