Minister Dody: Bulango Ulu Dam to Support National Food Self-Sufficiency

Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo has revealed that the Bulango Ulu Dam project in Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo Province, is intended to support national food self-sufficiency. He stated that the construction of this water management infrastructure is part of the government’s efforts to guarantee the sustainable availability of irrigation water, thereby increasing agricultural land productivity and improving the welfare of farmers in Gorontalo. “The presence of this infrastructure is crucial for supporting the availability of agricultural irrigation water, maintaining land productivity, and ensuring food supplies are maintained despite the challenges of the dry season or climate change,” Dody said in Jakarta on Sunday. The Ministry of Public Works continues to accelerate the construction of the Bulango Ulu Dam. As of June 2026, the physical progress of the dam, which has a water storage capacity of up to 93.75 million cubic metres, has reached 94.99 percent. The dam, designated a National Strategic Project, is projected to increase the cropping index from 250 to 300. This means farmers could potentially achieve nearly three planting seasons in a year. Land productivity, currently around 3–3.5 tonnes per hectare, is also estimated to surge to 7–9 tonnes per hectare. Dody noted that water is a resource that cannot be created but can only be managed optimally. Therefore, effective water management is a key variable in boosting agricultural productivity to achieve the food self-sufficiency target, as outlined in the Asta Cita of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. In addition to providing 2,200 litres of raw water per second, Dody said the Bulango Ulu Dam will irrigate 4,950 hectares of agricultural land and help control potential flooding in the region by up to 43 percent, covering an area of 629 hectares. Furthermore, the dam will generate clean energy through a Micro-hydro Power Plant with a capacity of 4.96 megawatts and has the potential for a Solar Power Plant with a capacity of 80 megawatts, as well as opening up opportunities for new tourism sector development in the dam area. With its wide-ranging benefits, the Bulango Ulu Dam is believed to be a key piece of infrastructure supporting the food self-sufficiency target while driving Gorontalo’s long-term economic growth.