Promoting Conservation Agriculture in Timor-Leste

Further promotion of CA is a key strategy for future development of the agriculture sector in our country. Conservation Agriculture aims to increase crop yields while reducing production costs (e.g. labour and inputs), improving and maintaining soil fertility (e.g. plant nutrients, organic matter, micro-organisms and structure) and waterholding capacities and preventing soil erosion and land degradation. Conservation Agriculture comprises a package of crop production technologies and practices that can achieve sustainable agriculture and improve livelihoods (i.e. food security, nutrition and income generation) for Timor-Leste’s vulnerable farming population. Conservation agriculture can be applied to any crop whether it be cereal, pulse, fruit or vegetable. For this purpose, we have produced this Manual as a practical guide to agricultural practitioners, researchers and most importantly, agriculture extension officers to assist farmers in the proper implementation of CA. With this Manual, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries hopes that CA information will reach a wider audience and that CA will be practiced and adopted nationwide.