TUARAN: Sabah is allocating RM559.85 million this year to strengthen food security and increase the state’s self-sufficiency in food crops to 60pc by 2030, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced.
Speaking at the launch of MAFFI’s Jelajah Kebun Dapur (Kitchen Garden Tour) at Padang Istiadat on Sunday, he said the initiative under Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 reinforces agriculture as a key economic pillar alongside industry and tourism.
The program promotes backyard kitchen gardens and permanent food crop zones, with RM3 million for the Sabah Rice and Paddy Board and RM15 million for machinery to support rice production.
Using a mentor–mentee approach, experienced entrepreneurs guide communities in sustainable farming, smart agriculture, and income-generating techniques.
The tour, covering all constituencies, provides affordable agricultural inputs to reduce dependence on markets and build resilient, self-reliant households.