1. ADALFREDO DO ROSARIO FERREIRA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES RDTL STATUS CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IN TIMOR-LESTE (a country report)

3. Timor-Leste Independence in 2002 Timor-Leste situated in Southeast Asia It has 14,916 sq km and generally topography is mountainous Around 80% population relay on agricultural sectors and accounts for 30% of non-oil GDP Rice, maize and cassava are staple food crops Coffee has been the major export of Timor-Leste

4. Timor-Leste Agriculture TL is divided in six agro-climatic zones Farming system classified as rainfed subsistence Cultivation average 0.8 - 1.2ha/household Low agriculture productivity (eg. rice 1.5-2.5 ton/ha and maize 1 – 2.5 ton/ha) Deforestation is 1.7% per year Livestock is integrated with cropping Closing in shore fisheries

8. Timor-Leste CA Experiences Indigenous conservation agriculture method used The method uses velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) planted among growing maize crops Velvet bean use to promote soil fertility and control weeds CA experiences restarted in 2006 AusAID/ACIAR funded Program Seeds of Life Reintroducing velvet bean (Mucuna Pruriens) at research level in Betano RC

9. Timor-Leste CA Experiences 2 In June 2013 MAF and FAO with funds from USAID started the first project focusing only on Increasing soil fertility, productivity and food and nutrition security Implementing in 4 districts: 18 groups + 420 farmers Farmer Field Schools (FFS) through adaptive research in group-base as the primary keys to transfer of CA 2 MAF’s research center and 1 agricultural technical school involved in researching of CA techniques and technologies. Various stakeholders involve: NGOintl/nat, Extension officer, local authority

11. Conclusion Timor is at the beginning of using conservation agriculture, with at least one indigenous option

12. Conclusion On flat areas, farmers demand access to tractors for field preparation  No current viable option for conservation agriculture methods to replace ploughing Animal production is important as part of the integrated system.  Farmers need options to keep animals away from cropping areas, to allow mulching.