KOTA KINABALU: More funding should be allocated to boost the agriculture sector in Sabah, particularly for padi farming in rural and remote areas, to serve as a catalyst for reducing poverty, especially extreme poverty.
Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, also the state Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, said the vast land available in the state should be utilised under the 2025 Budget to achieve the goal.
“We hope for changes in the 2025 Budget. We don’t want it to be the same as last year. “We want an increase in the budget for agriculture so that we can mobilise the State Padi and Rice Board to help our padi farmers improve their economic level.
“This is important so that our people no longer live in poverty,“ he said.
Jeffrey said the people of Sabah, especially in the rural and interior areas, have land.
“So, the state government wants to help the people increase their income and economic level by making full use of the land to get them out of poverty.
The self-sufficiency level (SSL) of rice in Sabah is currently at 22 per cent compared to the needs of the population, which is much lower than in 1980, at 51 per cent, showing a vast market opportunity of almost 80 per cent for the production of padi to meet the needs of the population.
In July this year, 22,510 household heads were removed from the list of hardcore poor through Phase One of the Hardcore Poverty Eradication Programme in the state.
Based on the statistics by the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat (SMJ) of the Sabah Chief Minister’s Department, which implements aid interventions to address hardcore poverty, as of July this year, there are 4,634 household heads still on the list of hardcore poor as of July this year.
One of Sabah’s largest padi granaries is Kota Belud with 7,000 hectares of padi fields, making it one of the important areas to realise the effort with the farmers hoping the government to provide appropriate assistance and incentives through the 2025 Budget.
Johneysius Sinson, 41, a padi farmer in Kampung Tampasuk 1, said the poor drainage system which caused the padi farming area to be flooded often should be addressed by providing special provisions for the maintenance of the farming and flood mitigation infrastructure in the affected area.
“I have more than two hectares of padi fields, Even planting the first crop is difficult, what more to plant twice a year.
“The government has built a drainage system but it is not well maintained, so I hope the 2025 Budget will [provide funding to address the problem,” he said.
He also hoped for the introduction of new technology initiatives, better seeds and fertilisers, as well as training for farmers, to increase production.
Main Gandilau, 63, a rice farmer in Kampung Tampasuk 2, said the Ala Sekinchan Large-Scale Smart Padi Field (SMART SBB) programme carried out in the district is one of the initiatives seen to be able to help padi farmers.
“So it is hoped that the effort can be expanded to other areas in the granary. We are not rich people here. So when we can produce a lot of padi, the income increases,” said Main who has more than two hectares of padi fields.
Last July 14, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu launched the Ala Sekinchan SMART SBB programme at the Integrated Development Agricultural Area (IADA) in Kota Belud.
It is a pilot project to increase padi yield in the area by using the best technology and farming practices by farmers in Sekinchan, Selangor.
