Team Europe scales up the distribution of seedlings as part of “Ai ba Futuru – Trees for the Future” reforestation programme in Timor-Leste

13.01.2021

Now more than ever, as the COVID-19 crisis puts vulnerable rural communities under increasing financial strain, the EU reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable management of forests in Timor-Leste.

With the onset of the rainy season, the best time to grow trees, the EU-supported Ai ba Futuru programme resumes the distribution of seedlings to community nurseries and small farmers. The agroforestry programme, co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in collaboration with the Government of Timor-Leste, plans to distribute 70,000 seedlings in January.The seedlings are mainly of high-value trees, grown by the agroforestry centre “Quinta Portugal”, supported by Portuguese Government agency Camões, in Aileu.Ai ba Futuru is enabling farmers and communities to planting trees that will have commercial value, is helping to improve wood processing, and is encouraging the Timorese private sector to invest and become actively involved in establishing, harvesting and processing domestically-grown forest trees for local use and for export.  This enhanced value chain will provide both a major boost for economic diversification and make a huge different to farmers’ livelihoods. It will also secure jobs for future generations.The five-year project targets marginalised families in 40 selected villages in the municipalities of Manatuto, Baucau, Viqueque and Lautem. In 2020 Ai ba Futuru planted more that one million seedlings and aims to plant three million trees in Timor-Leste by 2024.“This is Team Europe at work.  Together, the European Union and two of its member states, Germany and Portugal, are working with the Timorese authorities to help preserve forests, to improve livelihoods in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to strengthen the economy. Today is National Day of Sandalwood and Forests in Timor-Leste, and I’m pleased to celebrate with Ai ba Futuru by launching the distribution of 70,000 seedlings that will help improve both lives and bolster biodiversity and the environment ”, said Andrew Jacobs, Ambassador of the European Union to Timor-Leste.