June 2020 Update
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PROGRESS SO FAR
Since 2010, FCOTI and its main partner Group Training Northern Territory (GTNT) have been planting nearly 300,000 trees in Laclubar and Soibada. The tree planting project aims at offsetting global greenhouse gas emission. More than 151,000 of them in more than 74 hectares in Laclubar and Soibada under a project called Halo Verde Timor Community Forest Carbon are internationally certified under Plan Vivo Standard. This is the first carbon offset project internationally certified by Plan Vivo in Timor-Leste. In the span of ten years, FCOTI and its partners Skillset and GTNT have paid more than $250,000 U.S. as voluntary financial incentives to rural farmers in Laclubar and Soibada in order to maintain tree survival.
In addition, FCOTI, GTNT and Friends of Laclubar have provided over 500 scholarships to poor students in Laclubar High-School and 13 university students in Dili. They have also built a 3-classroom building for Catholic High-School in Laclubar. Recently, with funding from GTNT and IntoWork Group, FCOTI provided micro loan to rural women in Soibada and Laclubar. They have provided micro loan to ten women each receiving $400 U.S. to do their micro business. When their micro business can already generate profits. the principal money is paid back to FCOTI with zero interest rate so that the money can then be rotated to other women within the same community in a revolving funding mechanism. So far 3 women have fully repaid their loans and additional 2 women have paid 50%. FCOTI has also trained more than 35 rural women in making candies, marmalade, and scented bar soaps from locally available crops.
MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS and ACHIEVEMENTS
Halo Verde Timor Community Forest Carbon is now a certified project by Plan Vivo (PV). The project has been finally certified by Plan Vivo in June 2020. Estimated total carbon potential for biomass (gross) of the project for the total area of 74 ha is 68,800 tCO2. The intention of the project since the start has been always to achieve international certification and carbon credit sale in international market. This is the first PV certified project in Timor-Leste thanks to funding from Darwin Initiative (D.I.) from UK government and technical assistance and expertise provided by Charles Sturt University (CSU) Australia. Without funding from D.I. and technical expertise from CSU the certification by PV would have not been possible.
Refresher training provided to staff: internal training was provided to FCOTI staff on procedures for entering into PES agreements, financial monitoring and reporting procedures, and techniques required for monitoring climate benefits. The training was facilitated by CEO of FCOTI for three days 25th -27th May 2020.
Refresher training provided to participants: FCOTI also provided refresher training to Project Participants on transaction of Plan Vivo Certificates and suitability of existing Technical Specifications for meeting their needs and priorities and to identify alternative species or planting systems that could be developed into technical specifications. These meetings were held on 6th and 8th June 2020 in Laclubar and Soibada.
Finalization and signing of PES: PES agreement has been finalized for signing both in English and Tetum after various feedback and inputs from participants and other stakeholders specially from PV.
FCOTI participation in NAPA and Climate Change Working Group Meetings: FCOTI continues to participate in national level workshops and meetings and provided its valuable comments and experiences.