With UNDP support, 35,000 seedlings have been planted on 21 hectares of community land in Aileu and Ainaro municipalities, benefitting 17,717 people. In addition, 203,800 seeds balls have been produced and scattered using hte Fukuoka technique on the degraded areas in Aileu, Ainaro, Ermera and Manufahi municipalities.

In addition, agroforestry socialization has been conducted in 21 target villages which will lead to 42,000 trees being planted on 105 hectares of community land within Aileu and Ainaro municipalities.

These initiatives will contribute to the protection and conservation of soil, restoration of forests and disaster prevention, as well as support the livelihoods of the local communities living in these municipalities in both the short and long term.

“We are happy with the project activities because in addition to planting trees we can also grow vegetables, potatoes and bananas that we can produce in the short term, while the trees can provide benefits in the long term,” said Mr. Bernardino Magno, land owner of the Casa-Ainaro reforestation area.

The Dili to Ainaro Road Development Corridor (DARDC) project aims to protect critical economic infrastructure from climate induced natural hazards such as flooding, landslides, rire and wind damage through better policies, strengthened local Disaster Risk Management (DRM) institutions and investments in risk reduction measures within the Dili to Ainaro development corridor.

UNDP works in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) to implement several activities on disaster prevention through afforeforestation, agroforestry, check dams and dewpond construction, provision of training to MAF staff and communities on the Fukuoka technique.

UNDP will continue to support MAF with reforestation and agroforestry activities to reduce potential disaster risks and build the resiliency of local communities along the Dili to Ainaro Road Development Corridor.