Community-based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of Timor-Leste’s people and their socio-ecological resilience. Indeed, there is a long history of traditional and community-led CBNRM practices in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry (MALFF), has implemented CBNRM since 2011. Technical and financial support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other international development partners have assisted MALFF in developing CBNRM through policy, programming, and capacity building. Over the past three decades, various interventions have led to significant outcomes in the CBNRM management and governance in Timor-Leste (JICA, 2021).
Despite the efforts of MALFF and its development partners, important questions remain, such as: Can CBNRM continue its journey in the way it was historically developed? What needs to be done to ensure that CBNRM becomes more effective and can address escalating socio-economic challenges (such as food and nutritional insecurity and youth unemployment) and environmental challenges (such as climate change, natural disasters, and forest degradation). The Ministry and the Government of Timor-Leste, along with its development partners, need to review and re-invigorate its CBNRM system from local to national levels to ensure it is well-equipped to tackle these new challenges. This means drawing on practical experiences and analysis of lessons so far, and on the expertise of in-country and international experts to explore future pathways for CBNRM development in Timor-Leste‘s rapidly changing context.
This brief recognises key achievements made so far by the Timor-Leste government and its development partners, then also identifies several areas for improvement in CBNRM policies and practices. We have identified these areas to both enable CBNRM to address the emerging socio-environmental challenges and for the effective utilisation of natural resources for sustainable development in this young island nation. From our analysis, we have identified eight key messages aiming to help the MALFF enhance the impact of CBNRM in Timor-Leste (Box 1 above). These are discussed further in the following sections.
Full policy brief can be found here: https://ifsd.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Policy-Brief_CBNRM-in-Timor-Leste.pdf
