MITLTW Project Strengthens Sustainable Management of Timor-Leste’s Transboundary Watersheds
Image : The Secretary of State for Forests, Fernandino Vieira & President of the Covalima Municipal Authority, Miguel Armada Cardoso
SAPNewsTL, Dili – Conservation International Timor-Leste (CI-TL), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (MAPPF), is strengthening the sustainable management of watersheds shared between Timor-Leste and Indonesia through the implementation of the MITLTW Project.
Under the project, CI-TL, in collaboration with MAPPF, held a workshop on the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) of the Talau–Loes and Mota Masin watersheds.
The Country Director of CI-TL, Manuel Mendes, explained that the initiative originates from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2015 between the Government of Indonesia, represented by then-Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, and the Government of Timor-Leste, represented by then-Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Estanislau Aleixo da Silva. The agreement was extended in 2023. In 2017, an Implementing Agreement (IA) was also signed to operationalize the cooperation.
The priority areas of the Implementing Agreement include:
- Exchange of information on standard procedures for floods and landslides, conditions of transboundary watersheds (upstream and downstream), rehabilitation techniques, and watershed management;
- Exchange among relevant agencies and stakeholders;
- Joint formulation of transboundary watershed management plans;
- Joint implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the management plans.
The Regional Manager of CI-TL, Demétrio de Carvalho, stated that the main objective of the TDA inception workshop was to collect preliminary information from participants and introduce the concept of the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis.
The Secretary of State for Forests, Fernandino Vieira, highlighted that water is a fundamental element for life, the economy, and environmental sustainability.
“The Talau–Loes and Mota Masin watersheds, which link Timor-Leste and Indonesia, are not just lines on a map, but lifelines for communities on both sides of the border,” he said during his speech at Hotel Timor on 12 February 2026.
According to the official, the TDA will be conducted by experts from Universitas Nusa Cendana (UNDANA) in Kupang, as an academic partner. The study will identify environmental and socio-economic challenges, creating a solid scientific database to guide policies and future interventions.
The TDA results will form the basis for developing a Strategic Action Program, which will include concrete measures to protect ecosystems, strengthen water security, increase agricultural productivity, and improve the livelihoods of communities dependent on transboundary water resources.
The Secretary of State reaffirmed MAPPF’s commitment to integrate the study results into national policies and programs, praising CI-TL’s role as an implementing agency and facilitator of cooperation between the parties.
At the same event, the President of the Covalima Municipal Authority, Miguel Armada Cardoso, highlighted that the municipality’s agricultural sector faces challenges related to water scarcity, despite the existence of some irrigation infrastructure, such as the Kayrala irrigation system, which receives water from Bonuk, Ainaro.
He reported that rice production in 2024 averaged 2 to 3 tons per hectare. However, with the application of intensification measures and agricultural mechanization, productivity increased in 2025 to 4–5 tons per hectare.
The municipality currently has 21 large tractors, more than 60 hand tractors, 60 harvesting machines, and 30 planting machines, which contribute to increased agricultural production.
Despite the progress, water distribution remains a challenge, especially in the Suai area and some administrative posts. Local authorities plan to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Works to find sustainable solutions for water supply to Zumalai and Tilomar.
The Inception Workshop brought together government representatives, technical experts, and stakeholders at the national and municipal levels, as well as community leaders from 12 sucos in Covalima and Bobonaro, to present the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) methodology, review initial climate and hydrology data, and collect local information as a basis for field assessment.
The MITLTW Project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by CI-TL in partnership with national institutions from both countries. Its objective is to strengthen collaborative management of shared water resources between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, essential for agriculture, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of border communities, from 2025 to 2030.
