FMNR Bulletin Issue 2 September 2015 REGENERATION-REJENERASAUN Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration

Developing for a changing future In this Issue by Samaresh Nayak change our approach to ensure that WVTL country director the children, families and communities Editorial 2 The El Niño Southern Oscillation is of -Leste have enough food to known to have a significant impact up- Our People 2 sustain themselves during a drier year on rainfall in Timor-Leste. As we ap- to come. It is during these times that Linking FMNR with Food 3 proach the next twelve months we we are reminded of the need to mili- Security and Sustainable must do so with hard work and com- tate against the negative effects of a Development radery. Recent predictions forecast a varying climate, to plan ahead and to Farmers Corner 3 delay in rainfall throughout Timor- share our knowledge. Leste, rainfall over a shorter time span This month also brings an old friend Farewells 4 and an overall decrease in the quantity to our shores. Tony Rinaudo, the of rain. We must rely on each other and FMNR Guru, will be in Timor-Leste over Welcome 4 a few days in September to consult on Preparing against El Niño Beating Famine Conference: 4 the Asia-Pacific Rainforest Recovery To attempt to improve resilience Southern Africa Plan in which World Vision Timor-Leste over the next twelve dryer months Recommendations for 4 Seeds of Life have suggested the will be a part of Applied Research following: We are continually thankful for all the 1. Warn farmers of possible support that we receive and our rela- delayed wet season tionship with the Ministry of Agricul- 2. Encourage planting larger areas ture and Fisheries (MAF) that is always 3. Conservation agriculture growing. We are excited to welcome 4. Improved Varieties the arrival of our new FMNR advisor 5. Secure Fencing who will begin working in MAF from mid-October to further this relation- ship. Page 2 Editorial: FMNR as an idea

simple idea has the power to all. A ‘package’ deal, a platform by Here in Timor-Leste we are A make great change; it has the which conversations, ideas and attempting to tackle all levels from opportunity to transcend boundaries exchanges can center. individual farmers to government and language; it has the chance to Attending the ‘Beating Famine departments. Our challenge now is to change circumstances. Such an idea is Conference’ 2015 (page 4) in Lilongwe, further this idea and spread it, promote FMNR. Malawi in April gave us the chance to it, mold it to local contexts, revive it, The practice of FMNR is one that has see such an idea in action. The transfer expand it beyond Timor-Leste and into been present in many societies for of knowledge and experiences was rife. our partner countries in the PTL. To centuries, under a local guise. Unifying The conference extended to maintain the motivation and see a such practices and escalating them to agricultural practices beyond FMNR regreening of these countries with peo- global proportions under one term and focused upon holistic answers, ple who do not feel the full brunt of ‘FMNR’ provides the opportunity to approaches that understand the climate change, people who are food increase accessibility to the notion for underlying connections of society and secure and thriving. nature. This is what we hope for our future. Our People: Forefront of FMNR

by its clear mission and vision and their you look around Bobonaro it is an open atalino Car- desire to support the community. This area and not very green. So we must N doso Hen- was seven years ago and since then plan to do FMNR and reforestation riques is Natalino has been involved in three practices together. We use terracing Bobonaro munici- different projects, including his current and plant trees to prevent erosion and palities Bobonaro role. landslides” Natalino says. Acts on Climate Natalino grew up in and One of the greatest challenges to Change (BACC) consequently wants to see his munici- FMNR in Bobonaro municipality is project co- pality thrive, particularly after the birth trying to get everybody on board. ordinator. The aim of the BACC project of his daughter nine months ago. Because all of the areas in which FMNR is to increase the resilience of house- “When I first saw the advertisement for have been set up are communal areas holds and communities in the the BACC co-ordinator, it touched me it is sometimes difficult to manage the Bobonaro municipality to the neg- to work on this project as it was really removal of trees. ative effects of climate change. Includ- connected to the Bobonaro situation FMNR has the potential to really fight ing resilience against natural hazards and luckily I was the one selected” says against the negative effects of climate but also a focus upon improving liveli- Natalino. Since the onset of the project change in Timor-Leste. Natalino hopes hoods and concentrating on efficient in 2013 22 FMNR plots have been creat- that this idea will spread to cover all fuel use from renewable sources. ed in the three subdistricts of the regions of Bobonaro municipality Prior to working at World Vision, Bobonaro, Lolotoe and . and further afield, to raise awareness Natalino was a Lecturer at Ermera’s “What we must do is align our staff’s of regreening and replanting the Coffee Academy with an theoretical knowledge with the hillsides of Timor-Leste in addition to interest in post-harvesting. However, farmer’s practical knowledge. When the government taking the notion and he became interested in World Vision increasing awareness for reforestation. Page 3 Linking FMNR with Food Security & Sustainable Livelihoods

The Story of Tithonia diversifolia In Timor-Leste

ow soil fertility is one of the major green manure of Tithonia diversifolia as ton/ha of the national average for maize L causes of low agricultural well as compost/livestock manure were yield. The increase in the yield is due to productivity in Timor-Leste. As a result conducted in integration with increased the combined effect of the application of World Vision Timor-Leste (WVTL) have plant population (through decreasing the Tithonia green manure as well as the been searching for reliable and scalable spacing between plants in a given area). increase in the plant population. soil improvement techniques. Since increasing the population of Considering the challenges and 9 plants should be complemented 8 realities in the field, WVTL have to 7 by the addition of soil nutrients, come up with an alternative soil 6 the combined effect is attributed 5 fertility mechanism that would ad- 4 to the application of Tithonia dress the major challenges and Tons/ha 3 green manure. 2 have the following parameters: 1 The results of the farmer’s 1. Have reasonably high macro 0 demonstration trials indicate the Compost Tithonia Control National (NPK) and micro nutrients Average potential of Tithonia diversifolia as 2. Release soil nutrients in a Treatment an alternative, low cost and reasonably short period of time reliable organic source of soil Graph 1: Demonstrating the average maize yield in Tons/ha in 3. Be of organic origin WVTL’s maize demonstration plots in the municipalities of Aileu, nutrients. 4. Could be available in sufficient Baucau and Bobonaro with the national average It also affirms the potential of inte- quantity in close proximity grated FMNR practices in improving 5. Sustainable source The combined effect of soil treatment agricultural productivity, food security 6. Have the lowest cost possible and increased plant population resulted and resilience of livelihoods. 7. Short processing time in very encouraging results: 8. Technically simple As it is shown above, the demonstra- 9. Reliable results tion plots conducted in Aileu, Baucau and 10. Other factors Bobonaro districts have resulted in an In order to insure better agricultural average of 7.8 ton/ha of maize, which is a production, demonstration trials on 271.4% increase, as compared with the 2.9 FARMERS CORNER this time they have learnt how to make “Our FMNR sites are close by. We oao de Deus, 50 years old, and terraces and nurseries understand the Joao “Mawar”, 47 years old, are J process well so we as well as improving both leaders of World Vision farmer their crop yields and can create new sites groups in their village of Lourba, locat- have begun construct- when we need. ed in Bobonaro municipality. Their ing a compost house. However, we build community has been working with Collective activities walls of rocks near World Vision for the past five years first under FMNR began in the river, to stop with the “Smile project” and more 2013 and so far they erosion, before the recently with Bobonaro Acts on have planted mahogany, teak, rainy season begins”. Climate Change (BACC) project. Over jackfruit, orange trees and avocado. Page 4

protection. “I am a hardworking and F a r e w e l l s Welcome simple guy who likes to motivate peo-

Roni Pati Tpoi ple while creating a fun working envi- Segenet Agriculture and Food ronment” says Roni. Roni has had the Tessema Security Technical opportunity to complete a Bachelor’s Agriculture and Specialist degree in Agriculture in Punjab Agricul- Climate Change Roni was born in tural University, India in 2008 and a Specialist Covalima, Suai located in to the West Masters at the University of New Eng-

of Timor. He joined World Vision in Au- land in Australia at the end of last year. Segenet has been with World Vision gust 2015 as our Agriculture and Food “During my time at World Vision I want Timor-Leste for two years and will sadly Security Technical Specialist after sev- to increase farmer production through be leaving to embark on a new assign- en years of experience in the Ministry mixed farming and introduce new tech- ment in Malawi. During his time of Agriculture and Fisheries as an assis- niques which have not yet been intro- here Segenet has been the forerunner tant officer in the department of plant duced to Timor-Leste”. in the promotion of Tithonia diversifo- lia as a source of increasing soil nutri- R ECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PPLIED R ESEARCH ents. In addition, he has been a signifi- cant driver to the fruition of this bulle- To address the real challenges that 4.Researching suitable protection, tin and its creation. are being faced by communities in Ti- generation and tree management tech- We wish him all the best and look mor-Leste we must contextualise niques for diverse potential crops forward to seeing all he will achieve. FMNR with the farming systems and 5.Researching the integration of agro-ecological zones of Timor-Leste. FMNR with other conservation and Beating Famine Conference The following are suggested areas of livelihood intervention techniques research, although research is by no 6.Researching the impact of FMNR During the month of April three means are limited to these: on the water cycle, floods and World Vision Timor-Leste staff and one 1.Identification of potential tree, droughts volunteer had the opportunity to shrub, herb and crop species for FMNR 7.Researching the impact of FMNR on attend the ‘Beating Famine purposes crop yield on agricultural land Conference 2015’ held in Lilongwe, 2.Identification of suitable plant 8.Researching the impact of FMNR Malawi. The conference explored key species that address specific economic on livestock production issues regarding to finding sustainable or environmental challenges 9.Researching the impact of FMNR and affordable means to mitigate the 3.Designing of suitable FMNR on household income negative effects that climate change measures for diverse agro-ecological 10.Satellite mapping for measuring has upon food production and zones of Timor-Leste baseline and spread of FMNR over time improving the land. A conference that featured FMNR Regeneration-Rejenerasaun is a quarterly bulletin to promote and heavily and included the launch of the communicate FMNR methodology in Timor-Leste. It is published by WVTL in FMNR report. A recommendation for cooperation with the National FMNR Working Group and the National improving landscape and food Directorate of Forestry and Watershed Management. security. For more information about the content of this bulletin or any other FMNR related issues in Timor-Leste please contact: For more information: Roni Pati Tpoi Kahukura Bennett http://beatingfamine.com/ [email protected] [email protected]