Asian Development Bank President visits Government coffee and agroforestry project supported by Landell Mills in Timor-Leste

In July 2025, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda visited the Government of Timor-Leste Coffee and Agroforestry Livelihood Improvement Project (CALIP). Landell Mills is supporting the government by working directly with 2,000 farming families to boost coffee quality, raise incomes and promote innovative agroforestry techniques; demonstrating how development partnerships are improving lives in rural areas.

We are implementing all three contracts under the CALIP, which are:

• Implementation Support Consultant, which is focused on target productivity and quality improvements in the coffee sector in Timor-Leste through a number of outputs.
• Agronomic Research and Testing Consultant, which is focused on providing technical support to research and development specific to coffee variety and coffee technology sectors.
• Quality Improvement and Marketing Consultant, which provides technical leadership and support to the development of a national quality standards and grading system, a coffee industry marketing plan, annual coffee quality competitions, and an information and knowledge platform.

During his first official visit to the country, President Masato Kanda met community leaders and local farmers growing coffee, fruits and spices; both examples of groups that are being supported by the CALIP. At a processing facility, Mr. Kanda saw how new techniques and quality control are helping farmers earn more and reach new markets. 38% of families in Timor-Leste grow coffee, making it a key sector that supports the country’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil.

Another key element of President Masato Kanda’s visit was to provide public support for Timor-Leste’s upcoming accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Mr. Kanda attended meetings with President José Ramos-Horta and acting Prime Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino, where he hailed Timor-Leste’s progress toward ASEAN membership and reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to help unlock new opportunities for growth and prosperity.

You can read more about President Masato Kanda’s visit to Timor-Leste on the ADB website.