SABAH ALLOCATES RM559.85 MILLION TO STRENGTHEN FOOD SECUIRITY

TUARAN,  Feb 15  (Bernama) -- The Sabah government has allocated RM559.85 million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (MAFFI) this year to strengthen food security and improve the state’s Self-Sufficiency Rate (SSR) for key food commodities.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the substantial allocation underscores the state’s commitment to keeping food security a top priority, particularly as it has become a major agenda at both global and national levels.

“The agriculture, fisheries and food industry sectors will continue to be the backbone of Sabah’s socio-economic development,” he said at the launch of the “Jelajah Kebun Dapur MAFFI” programme here today.

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Also present were MAFFI Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, Assistant Minister Datuk Ruslan Muharam and Tuaran Member of Parliament Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau.

Hajiji said several initiatives are being actively rolled out by the Sabah Agriculture Department, including the development of Permanent Food Crop Production Zones at 15 Permanent Food Production Parks (TKPM) statewide.

He added that RM3 million has been allocated to the Sabah Padi and Rice Board (LPBS) for operational expenses, while a further RM15 million is earmarked for the procurement of padi harvesting and ploughing machinery.

“This initiative aims to position Sabah as a sustainable and competitive producer of padi and rice, with a target of achieving a 60 per cent Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL) by 2030,” he said.

However, Hajiji stressed that the responsibility of ensuring food security should not rest solely on large-scale farms or mega projects, but must begin at the grassroots level.

To that end, the “Jelajah Kebun Dapur MAFFI” programme under the Rural Economic Revolution was introduced as a strategic measure to help reduce the cost of living while fostering a more self-reliant and sustainable community.

He said the programme would be carried out throughout Sabah to ensure that the programme’s benefits reach communities in urban, rural and interior areas alike.

“I would also like to see Tuaran emerge as the model district for the programme,  where this initiative truly becomes part of the community’s way of life,” he said.

The programme, he added, will adopt a mentor-mentee approach, pairing successful entrepreneurs with local communities to facilitate the continuous transfer of knowledge and best agricultural practices.

-- BERNAMA