The National Centre for Employment and Vocational Training (CNEFP – acronym in Portuguese) in Tibar, in the municipality of Liquiçá, on February 21, 2024, hosted the launch ceremony for the “Agroforestry Skills for Employment and Resilience” programme, led by the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment, Rogério Araújo Mendonça, along with the European Union Ambassador, Marc Fiedrich, and the representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Diego Rei. 

With a budget of 6.5 million US dollars, the ILO will implement the programme over four years in close collaboration with the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment. The main objective is to expand quality employment opportunities and foster entrepreneurship in agroforestry, focusing on young people, especially young women and migrants returning to the country. 

The Secretary of State, Rogério Araújo Mendonça, expressed the hope that “the Agroforestry Skills for Employment and Resilience project, now launched, will provide significant incentives for young people to enter the sector, aiming for an attractive income that promotes both their participation and the development of the private sector”. 

Marc Fiedrich, from the European Union, emphasised that he hopes “the project will contribute to increasing the number of young people and women benefiting from vocational training, enabling them to get jobs or set up their own businesses in the country”. He also emphasised the importance of this initiative “for the diversification of the economy in Timor-Leste, promoting income growth in rural areas”.

After the launch, the participants, including representatives of the diplomatic corps, development partners, public administration, and academics, planted 30 sandalwood trees at the CNEFP’s Agricultural Production and Demonstration Unit.