Authors : Padre Nivio Correia Lebre; Dr. Tasrifin Tahara; Dr. Ir. Eymal B. Demmallino; Dr. Ir. Lucio Marçal Gomes

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 5 - May

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/33vpkpam

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/ychw5tvv

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26May2168

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Abstract : Introduction Environmental degradation in agrarian ecosystems is increasingly recognized not only as an ecological and economic challenge but also as an ethical, cultural, and spiritual crisis. In coffee-producing regions such as Ermera Municipality, Timor-Leste, sustainability is shaped by complex interactions among indigenous ecological knowledge, religious values, community governance, and environmental stewardship. However, existing sustainability studies often emphasize technical and economic dimensions while overlooking moral and intergenerational responsibilities.  Objective This study aims to examine how intergenerational ecological responsibility contributes to the sustainable governance of coffee agroecosystems in Ermera, Timor-Leste, through the integration of ecotheology and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK).  Method of Research An interpretive qualitative case study approach was employed within an interpretive-constructivist paradigm. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, and document analysis involving coffee farmers, customary leaders, Catholic clergy, youth representatives, and environmental actors. Purposive sampling was used to select information-rich participants. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and hermeneutic interpretation, guided by Hans Jonas’ ethics of responsibility, ecotheology, Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory, and biocultural diversity perspectives.  Results and Discussion Five major themes emerged: (1) ecological degradation and increasing pressure on coffee landscapes; (2) faith-based environmental stewardship rooted in Catholic ecological ethics; (3) Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and customary land ethics as mechanisms of environmental regulation; (4) intergenerational environmental memory and responsibility as vehicles for transmitting ecological values; and (5) the emergence of a contextual sustainability model integrating ecological vulnerability, indigenous knowledge, faith-based ethics, intergenerational accountability, and community governance. Findings indicate that sustainability is maintained through moral, cultural, and social institutions rather than through technical management alone. The findings demonstrate that ecological sustainability in Ermera is a relational and socially governed process. Ecotheology and indigenous ecological knowledge function as complementary governance mechanisms that reinforce stewardship, collective responsibility, and ecological resilience. However, modernization, market expansion, and changing generational aspirations threaten the continuity of traditional ecological knowledge and intergenerational responsibility.  Conclusion Sustainable coffee agroecosystem governance in Ermera depends on integrating ecological stewardship, indigenous knowledge systems, faith-based ethics, and community governance. The study proposes a Contextual Ecotheological Social-Ecological Sustainability Framework that advances sustainability scholarship by linking intergenerational ethics, moral ecology, indigenous knowledge, and adaptive governance to promote long-term ecological resilience.

Keywords : Intergenerational Ecological Responsibility; Ecotheology; Indigenous Ecological Knowledge; Sustainable Coffee Agroecosystems; Social-Ecological Systems.

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