Started in 2011, Halo Verde is an agroforestry, land restoration and sustainable agriculture project in Timor-Leste run by the NGO, Fundação Carbon Offset Timor(FCOTI) in partnership with GTNT, Australia. Timor-Leste is a small island nation in the Malay archipelago in Southeast Asia that proclaimed independence in 2002. Its pristine tropical rainforests are threatened by deforestation for sandalwood and timber and for agricultural use as the young country establishes its fledgling economy. The Halo Verde project uses the Small-Holder agriculture mitigation and baseline assessment methodology of the Plan Vivo standard to produce carbon credits.    The proceeds from the sale of carbon credits ensure that the local communities are compensated adequately and the forest ecosystem is maintained. The project provides an alternative source of income and food through agroforestry on barren lands. It has planted over 250,000 trees over its lifetime and covers an area of 150 hectares. Continuous monitoring and regular audits certified in accordance with the Plan Vivo standard ensure that the carbon credits are additional and project risk is minimized.    Over 1,000 farmers and 150 households are involved in the afforestation and reforestation efforts. The local communities benefit from the project, not just monetarily, but also through other systems such as micro-grants for women and scholarships for disadvantaged children. The reforestation efforts also help to reverse the soil degradation due to deforestation and preserve the natural biodiversity of the region. FCOTI maintains plant nurseries of local tree varieties to support farmers in their agroforestry efforts.