On 10 January 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry launched the project to build the Maliana II irrigation system, at a ceremony attended by the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, in the Mota Malibaka area, Suco Tapo-Memo, Maliana Administrative Post, in the Bobonaro Municipality. 

This project, financed with a budget of approximately 9.8 million US dollars, will directly benefit around 1,400 hectares of land, of which 1,100 hectares are in the Municipality of Bobonaro and 300 hectares in the Municipality of Belu, in the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia. The work will take 30 months to complete. 

During his speech, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of the project for the development of the productive sector in rural areas, calling on the company responsible for the construction to ensure the quality of the work and urging the competent authorities to strengthen the control mechanisms. He also expressed the hope that, with this irrigation system, more young people will be able to work in agriculture, helping to reduce dependence on food imports. 

The President of the Bobonaro Municipal Authority, Alexandre Pires, expressed his gratitude to the government for the initiative, emphasising that the Maliana II irrigation system will transform land that was abandoned into productive areas, with the potential to significantly increase local agricultural production.

According to existing data, Bobonaro’s farmers previously produced around 20 tonnes of agricultural products a year, a figure that should increase substantially with the new irrigation system coming into operation. 

The Prime Minister also challenged the young people of Bobonaro to diversify their skills, emphasising the importance of taking advantage of opportunities in the agricultural sector to generate economic value, reduce imports and enable exports. 

The ceremony was attended by several members of the government, including the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, Marcos da Cruz, the Minister of Defence, Donaciano do Rosário Gomes, the Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment, Gastão Francisco de Sousa, and the Secretaries of State for Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry.

The Indonesian Ambassador to East Timor, Okto Dorinus Manik, Members of the National Parliament and representatives of various organisations were also present, as well as local farmers and other guests.