DILI, 16 november 2021 (TATOLI) – About US$ 21 million of the 2022 General State Budget (GSB) is allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAP) for the programs and activities for the 2022 Financial Year.
“The GSB allocated to MAP for the 2022 Fiscal Year is US$21.400.322,” the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pedro dos Reis told reporters after having a public hearing with the Parliamentary Committee D and G at National Parliament, in Dili, on monday.
Reis said of the US$21.400.322, US$5.064.400 is allocated for Salaries and Wages, US$10.354.627 for Goods and Services, US$3.881.175 for Development Capital, and US$1.705.125 for Public Transfer.
According to State Budget Book 2, MAP will spend US$13.016.940 on Good Governance and institutional management and US$8.383.382 on agricultural programs.
MAP’s 2022 agricultural programs will be focusing on boosting the production of horticulture and fisheries.
He said boosting the production of horticulture and fisheries aimed to ensure the sustainability of the production of the industrial crops through integrated agricultural systems: “In addition, the budget will also improve horticultural crops of the communities, providing agricultural subsidy, improving agricultural practices, providing agricultural equipment and supporting young farmers (men and women).
“The will be spent as well on diversification and intensification of the coffee production, increasing the number of plant nurseries for growing industrial crops and boosting animal husbandry,” said Reis.
MAP had planned to spend the 2022 budget on a number of subprograms, including aquaculture infrastructure development, improvement of national food reserves (Matadouro and Tibar), and improvement of irrigations in Bebui-Uatular, Maliana I, Maliana II, Mautalo, Marco, Atabae Loes, Lotan, Caraulun, Oebaba, Raibere, Laclo, Buluto, Bebui, Saketo, Belia, Kumoli, Waibati, Larisula, Ramaskora, and Oebaba.
Further, other agricultural subprograms to be developed with the provision of the MAP’s 2021 Financial Year include improving the quality of the agricultural high school of Natarbora and etc, creating the national fisheries laboratory (aquaculture) and tilapia breeding, conserving and improving the botanic garden, and untouched forests, ensuring agroforestry development, building more plant nurseries for growing agroforestry plants and mangroves, developing and protecting the ecotourism, and diversifying and intensifying the industrial plants such as sandalwood, teak wood, mahogany, bamboo and etc.
Journalist: Nelso de Sousa
Editor: Cancio Ximenes
Translation: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
