Rai Matak is a community-led, national carbon farming project across Timor-Leste.

We’re creating a better future for people and the planet through local and global environmental, social and economic change.

The project supports smallholder farming communities to grow and manage forest trees on their land, which capture carbon from the atmosphere to form a carbon sink. This carbon is then sold through carbon credits across international carbon markets, putting an earned dollar in a farmer’s pocket and empowering them to shape their own future.

Led by Timorese people and community groups, the project’s impacts are wide-reaching – both locally and across the globe. It equips farmers with practical training in agroforestry, builds green economies and resilient communities, opens up opportunities for people to offset their carbon footprint, and helps take real action on deforestation and climate change – creating a more sustainable, equal and just world.

Growing our impact from strong roots

Rai Matak builds on the work of the WithOneSeed/Ho Musan Ida model established more than 10 years ago in Baguia – the first internationally certified carbon farming program under the Gold Standard afforestation/reforestation standard in Timor-Leste.

The Ho Musan Ida model is dedicated to improving the resilience of subsistence communities to make environments sustainable, to end poverty and hunger, to deliver agroforestry education, and to create regional and international partnerships.

Breaking the cycle

Many subsistence farmers in Timor-Leste live on less than $1 a day.

Over the last 12 years, Ho Musan Ida has been working with farmers to turn trees into income. Tree nurseries are set up in remote villages and local subsistence farmers receive an annual payment to plant and grow these seedlings on their land, helping break the cycle between tree loss and poverty.

Environmental, economic and social justice

Trees don't only mean money in farmer's pockets.

The initiative has broad environmental impacts, helping reduce atmospheric carbon, improve soil and water quality, and boost crop yields and nutrition for better health and wellbeing of communities. Incentive payments can also potentially double the annual income of subsistence-farming families, so people have more financial independence and choice – helping build the local economy, boost education and training, and increase social and economic participation.

Achievements so far:

1,200+ subsistence farmers

planting and maintaining trees

250,000+ trees planted

to address deforestation

82,000+ tonnes of carbon captured

to help shape a healthier planet for all

US $600,000+ community income paid

increasing local financial security

45,000+ carbon credits sold

internationally to companies driving toward carbon neutrality

Almost 30% of Baguia population benefiting financially

from Ho Musan Ida

22 permanent and 15 casual jobs

created to boost participation

10 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

directly addressed

Seeding the future

Now, the Rai Matak project is expanding the impact of Ho Musan Ida by taking it further, supporting other regions across Timor-Leste to implement the model in their own communities.

SEE WHERE WE’RE CURRENTLY ROLLING OUT THE PROJECT

Contact:

Acknowledgement of support:

This project is funded by the European Union and cofunded by the Australian Government Australian NGO Cooperation Program.

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This website was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Rai Matak and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.