The Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative (COMDEKS) managed by Global Environment Facility – Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) Indonesia selected Semau Island in Kupang District, East Nusa Tenggara as the program site.

East Nusa Tenggara lies in the Wallacea bioregion with rich marine biodiversity. Most of Semau Island is managed under the Marine Recreation Park (under Ministry of Forestry-MF) and a smaller part is managed by the Marine National Park (under Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries MMAF). Semau Island was selected based on the considerations that it is an example of an island separate from the mainland, with potential impacts from climate change and extreme weather, and agriculture with limited fresh water and thin soil layer in karst dominated terrain. On the other hand the island is rich in terrestrial, coastal, and marine biodiversity. The people of the island have fought for generations to meet their need for food from the available agriculture and fisheries resources in this small island.