The development objective is to build the capacity of communities around the Dili-Ainaro and linked Road Corridors, and district and sector agencies in community-based disaster risk management and adaptation for reducing the impacts of recurring landslides and floods. The expected intermediate outcomes are: (a) Improved understanding and communication of landslide and flooding risks faced by communities around the Dili-Ainaro road corridor in the districts of Ainaro, Aileu, Ermera and Manufahi. (b) Strengthened capacity of sub-district level disaster risk management and sectoral agencies for planning and implementing community-based disaster risk management measures. (c) Communities in sub-districts served by the Dili-Ainaro and linked road corridors are able to participate, plan and implement practical disaster risk management and climate change adaptation activities.

The activities proposed are: 1. Hazard Risk Assessment in Ainaro, Aileu, Ermera and Manufahi districts focusing on landslides and flooding hazards. The task involves review of existing hazard data; preparation of hazard maps and models, and preparing a robust database of hazard events for the areas studied. Risk Assessments will then be carried out for select catchments and hotspots. 2. Strengthening Capacity at sub-district level for Planning and Delivering Community-Based Disaster Risk Management. Under this component, a Needs Assessment will be carried out for building the capacity primarily at the sub-district and community level to implement disaster risk management and adaptation activities. 3. Community-Based Disaster Risk Management and Adaptation Plans and Pilot Projects. Under this component Manual for conducting CBDRM will be prepared. The CBDRM Manual will describe the procedures, methodologies, roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders for preparing and implementing the CBDRM Plans. Approaches to involve local, national and international NGOs will also be defined in this Manual. In the context of current and future disaster and climate change-related risks, there is need to support the Government of Timor-Leste towards a holistic approach to manage the disaster risks faced by the affected population and the vulnerable sectors. In particular, support is required to: i) help systematically assess natural hazard risks that its assets and livelihoods are exposed to, ii) enable risk-informed planning with the involvement of the affected communities, and iii) minimize the losses that result to infrastructure assets and livelihoods by taking an approach to disaster risk management that combines both ex-ante and ex-post activities and also both structural (engineered) and non-structural solutions. This TA will help prepare the Government in these areas with a focus oin the Dili-Ainaro corridor. The outputs under this TA, namely the risk assessment, needs assessment for capacity building for CBDRM, and the CBDRM Manual will prepare NDMD/MSS to launch the next phase of the program, which is to help communities prepare disaster risk management and adaptation plans, and implement risk reduction measures identified in such plans.