Kota Kinabalu: Dryland rice cultivation has become one of the main focus areas of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (Maffi) in efforts to strengthen Sabah’s food security.
Its Minister, Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, said the approach holds significant potential as an alternative to conventional paddy cultivation, especially in areas without sufficient irrigation systems.
He said the Ministry is planning to introduce dryland rice cultivation on a wider scale, including planting methods using pots and polybags around residential areas.
“We are planning to introduce dryland rice cultivation that can be carried out around homes, including in pots or polybags. Once studies on suitable varieties are completed, we will launch the initiative in the near future,” he said when met by the media during the Kaamatan Festival Celebration 2026 here, Monday.
Jamawi said the initiative forms part of efforts to strengthen the “Kebun Dapur” initiative, which has already shown positive results among rural communities.
“I have observed over the past three to four months that, as we promote kitchen gardens, there are already farmers and villagers trying out dryland rice cultivation around their homes,” he said.
Advertisement
He added that the Department of Agriculture had previously conducted studies on several rice varieties suitable for cultivation without requiring large amounts of water.
According to him, the findings from these studies will be utilised to further expand such cultivation throughout the state.
Jamawi stressed that these efforts are important as Sabah still relies heavily on imported rice, which accounts for approximately 80 per cent of the state’s supply.
“When global crises occur, such as conflicts or rising transportation costs, food supplies can be disrupted. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves from now,” he said.
He added that dryland rice cultivation is also suitable for implementation in K3 category areas that depend entirely on rainfall.
“These K3 areas do not have complete irrigation systems, so the dryland rice cultivation approach is among the best solutions available,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jamawi said the Ministry has instructed all related agencies to intensify efforts in identifying new approaches to ensure sufficient food supply for the state at all times.
Apart from rice, he said the government is also focusing on the production of animal feed such as corn to reduce dependence on imports.
Addressing the rising prices of chicken and eggs in Sabah, he said the increase was largely driven by the rising cost of imported corn-based feed.
He explained that Sabah currently produces only a small portion of its corn supply, with the majority imported from overseas, leaving the livestock industry highly exposed to fluctuations in international commodity prices, especially during global crises.
In response, he said the Ministry has begun identifying suitable agricultural land and encouraging investors to participate in large-scale corn farming projects.
“Our target is to develop at least 1,000 hectares of corn plantations within the next five years, with hopes of increasing Sabah’s self-sufficiency level (SSL) by around 20 per cent,” he said.
However, he stressed that the development of dryland rice cultivation will remain among the ministry’s priorities due to its vast potential and suitability for small-scale implementation by the people.
“This is among the initiatives that we will continue to strengthen from time to time to ensure the state’s food security remains protected,” he said.
Jamawi also expressed appreciation to all parties involved in making this year’s Kaamatan Festival celebration a success.
Several competitions were also held during the event, including Sugandoi, traditional food, best-decorated stall, and “Basaan Togingo” (best traditional attire) categories for both men and women.
Also present were Assistant Minister Datuk Ruslan Muharam; Chairman of the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LGIS) Datuk Seri Jahid Jahim; Deputy Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry Awang Dzulkernain Awang Hassan and Maria David Edick, who also served as chairman of the organising committee; as well as directors of Maffi departments and agencies.
