As part of the department’s ongoing international technical collaboration with Australia’s near neighbours, staff from the Pacific Engagement and International Plant Health team have been supporting plant health and biosecurity capacity building activities in Timor-Leste.
Department staff worked alongside colleagues from Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry (MALFF) to co-design and deliver two three-day workshops as part of the Timor-Leste Biosecurity Development Program (TLBDP), funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These workshops were among the first major activities delivered as part of this three-year program which began in April 2023.
The scope of the program is broadly focused on plant biosecurity capacity, however animal biosecurity outcomes are also addressed concurrently where suitable, complementing the longstanding DAFF-MALFF joint plant and animal health surveillance programs. Strengthening Timor-Leste’s capacity to manage risk across the biosecurity continuum in turn bolsters biosecurity resilience for both Australia and the region.
Other priority activities for the Timor-Leste Biosecurity Development Program include building capacity of Timor-Leste’s National Plant Protection Officer unit, developing a biosecurity contingency plan for the coffee industry, and assistance with the implementation of biosecurity legislation from an operational context. The Australian Chief Plant Protection Office team have collaborated with colleagues in other relevant departmental areas including the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer.
The first workshop focused on identifying high priority plant pests for Timor-Leste. The second workshop focused on delivering training to support technical capability in plant, animal and aquatic areas to undertake pest risk analysis in accordance with international standards. These workshops support Timor-Leste’s recent World Trade Organisation membership and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accession aspirations.
There was a fantastic response to both workshops with over 40 MALFF staff participating, and several senior departmental officials attending the opening and closing sessions, including the Timor-Leste Minister of Agriculture Marcos da Cruz. Workshop participants were diverse in gender, age and seniority, and included policy and operational representatives from the plant health, animal health and aquatic health sectors.
Department staff also recently conducted training needs assessment visits with Timor-Leste border inspection, customs and port authority staff at the land borders shared with Indonesia in Batugade, Suai and Maliana. Learnings will inform the design of sustainable training programs, written procedures and equipment provision. The outcomes for Timor-Leste and MALFF include consistent implementation of operations across all MALFF’s border responsibilities. In turn, written instructions will provide confidence to trading partners, that Timor-Leste is aligned to World Trade Organisation standards of operation.
