Climate change and the El Niño phenomenon are currently major threats to the agriculture sector in Timor-Leste, which can have a direct impact on food production, food security and the daily lives of the community.
Secretary of State for Forestry (SEF), Fernandino Vieira, said that climate change is evident through flooding during the rainy season and prolonged dry periods during the dry season, particularly due to the strong influence of El Niño.
“This year we will experience flooding at certain times, but in other areas we will also experience prolonged dry periods because of El Niño. These conditions will directly affect agriculture because there will be less water, the land will become dry and there will be less food,” SEF Fernandino said at the MAPPF Hall, Comoro, Dili.
He explained that water shortages are a major problem preventing the community from farming, cultivating crops and sustaining agricultural production, which can lead to a food crisis and affect family incomes.
“People will not be able to cultivate rice fields or farms because there is no water. This is a major challenge for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry and also for the entire State to prepare to face these impacts,” he said.
He called on the government, through the relevant ministries, to make strategic preparations, including water management, land conservation, tree planting and the development of agricultural systems that are resilient to climate change.
On the other hand, Comoro Suku Chief Eligio José Marçal said that these changes can be seen directly in mountainous areas and within the community.
“We only need to look at the trees on the mountains. When the sun is hot, the trees quickly turn brown. When the rain comes, they become green again. This shows that the weather patterns are no longer normal,” Chief Eligio said.
He also expressed concern about indiscriminate tree cutting, which continues despite repeated warnings from local authorities, because forest destruction is a factor that worsens the climate change situation and causes the land to dry more quickly.
“We planted many seedlings in the Tasi-Tolu Lagoon area, almost one thousand, but many died because there was no water. Even though they were close to the lagoon, the land was very dry and the trees did not survive,” he said.
Chief Eligio added that the situation is an alarming sign for environmental sustainability because it reduces the land’s capacity to retain water and increases the risk of natural disasters.
He called on the community to respect nature, stop indiscriminate tree cutting and work with local authorities to protect forests and the environment.He emphasised that environmental protection is not only the government’s responsibility, but everyone’s responsibility.
