A Food Forest for West Timor
A healthy forest makes all the difference to provide food security, especially in the first frontiers of climate change. For this project, we combine our passion for women empowerment and forestry in West Timor.
The Problem
Timor has been hit hard by climate change – causing long draughts that are frequently followed by flooding. As a result, the land is becoming more and more degraded: Heavy rains wash away fertile soil, leaving behind nothing but clay and rocks.
As farmers struggle to grow their crops, more and more children go hungry. Today, Timor has one of the highest incidence of stunting in Indonesia - meaning that children stop growing or are held back in their development.
The Solution
Together with our partners, we have already planted 25,000 pioneer trees in a small village in West Timor - fighting erosion, restoring soil health and creating new opportunities for the local community.
But these trees are only the beginning.
By improving soil structure and increasing the amount of organic matter in the ground, they lay the foundation for other plants to grow and thrive - slowly transforming this land of infertile clay into a lush regenerative forest.
A forest that makes nearby villages more resilient against climate change and provides them with food and other vital resources - like cotton for their traditional cloths.
Reversing Climate Change
As our trees grow, they will enable the soil to hold more water and eventually, absorb CO2 from the atmosphere - buying much needed time to find other ways to reduce emissions and keep us on track to achieve to limit global warming to 1.5C.
Next Steps
As the Glircidia trees are growing and stabilize the ground, we will add more food and commodity crops to nourish the community - and create new opportunities.
To this end, we’re now testing which plants grow best around the area - like these cotton plants which are already on their second rotation!
And of course, we’re looking to further expand the area regenerated from currently 14 to 50 ha.
Please help us continue and expand this important project - and bring nourishment and new livelihoods to West Timor!
Let’s Plant Some More Trees
Don’t have PayPal? Transfer your donation directly (US$ or IDR) to:
Bank: BCA
Account #: 288 884 0228
Name: YAY Rumah Sukkha Citta
Subject: Timor Reforestation
Bank Code: 014
Branch Code: KCU PURI INDAH (0288)
Bank Address: Komp. Puri Indah Blok A/20-22 Jakarta Barat 11610
Swift: CENAIDJA
Please email your proof of transfer to foundation@sukkhacitta.com so we can say thank you and send you a receipt.
The Details
The Place
Province: West Timor
Area: 14ha (to be expanded to 50)
Partners
Co2operate BV
Yayasan Besi Pae
SukkhaCitta