Addressing Water Scarcity in Timor-Leste with Satellite-Based Surface Water Assessment
The ADB partnered with GDA Water Resources to assess surface water availability in Timor-Leste in response to growing water scarcity challenges.
Description
Timor-Leste faces growing water scarcity challenges due to erratic rainfall, extreme weather events, and limited water storage capacity. To address this, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) partnered with GDA Water Resources to assess surface water availability across the country. Using satellite data from the Copernicus Sentinel mission, a five-year analysis (2018–2022) revealed significant seasonal and annual fluctuations in water bodies, highlighting areas most vulnerable to drought.
The insights gained support better water resource planning, particularly for rain-fed agriculture, and inform national strategies to enhance agricultural resilience. The EO data is also used to guide policy, attract investment in water security, and engage stakeholders through a web-based platform, making satellite-derived information accessible and actionable for decision-makers.
You can read more about this Case Study here: Tracking surface water dynamics for agricultural resilience in Timor-Leste