January 22, 2002
In the face of an economic decline as the reconstruction boom slows in East Timor, the Government and the United Nations have approved a US$5 million initiative to ensure the poverty alleviation work continues in some of the country's poorest rural areas.
Traditional slash and burn farming has caused serious soil erosion and widespread deforestation, threatening the livelihoods of subsistence farmers. With annual incomes of little more than US$300, they already earn less than most of their counterparts in the Pacific region. The lingering impact of the 1999 political crisis compounds difficulties faced by rural communities. Social services, such as health care, collapsed. Community infrastructure was also severely damaged, and many doctors, teachers, and other professionals fled.
The five-year project aims to boost food security and living standards for nearly 20,000 households in Ainaro and Manatuto districts. It will help communities develop sustainable farming methods to preserve the environment, rehabilitate irrigation systems, improve livestock, carry out seed multiplication, participate in basic preventive health care training. The initiative will also build women's skills and knowledge, enabling them to earn more money for their families.
Another vital component of the project is soil conservation and reforestation covering about 16,000 hectares designed to counter environmental degradation. The project will set up a community training centre to support these activities as well as offer courses on farming techniques and community development.
UNDP Representative Finn Reske-Nielsen said if this project proves a success, further funding will be sought to launch similar community work in other districts. "The poorest of the poor will be hardest hit as the economy slows, and it is vital to target vulnerable groups now," he said.
The initiative, to be managed by UNDP and funded through the Japanese supported UN Trust Fund for Human Security, will begin this month with the building of the community training centre.
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