Kota Kinabalu: The State Government remains committed to ensuring the agriculture sector continues to be a key driver of growth and a catalyst for a more dynamic and resilient Sabah economy.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said the sector is not only the third-largest contributor to the state’s economy but also plays a critical role in safeguarding national food security.
“This sector contributes RM12.2 billion or 14.5 per cent to Sabah’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});“Therefore, the State Government is prioritising efforts to further strengthen this sector through more strategic and inclusive approaches,” he said at the closing of the 2025 National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen’s Day (HPPNK) at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Sunday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officiated the closing of HPPNK 2025.
Also present were Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, along with federal and state leaders.
Hajiji said as a State blessed with fertile land and a tropical climate well-suited for agriculture, Sabah is taking bold steps to support the national food security agenda.
Among the concrete measures is the re-establishment of the Sabah Rice and Padi Board last year — after being dissolved in 1981 — to boost the local rice industry and raise the Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL) of rice to 30 per cent by 2026 and 60 per cent by 2030.
“This is in line with the priorities of the Federal Government led by Anwar who has placed strong emphasis on agriculture, especially rice cultivation,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of modern technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart farming to increase production efficiency, boost productivity, and attract younger generations to the sector.
He said Sabah currently has 15 Permanent Food Production Parks (TKPM) that had produced over 1,494 metric tons of food products, generating more than RM4.32 million to date.
Hajiji also announced Sabah’s first high-impact strategic investment in the Blue Economy sector — development of a European Union-standard tuna and deep-sea seafood landing port in Kota Kinabalu by the State Government in partnership with a local company, with an investment value reaching RM360 million.
He said the port is expected to land 50,000 tons of tuna annually, with the potential to generate up to RM1.8 billion in economic value per year, positioning Sabah as one of the major deep-sea players.
He also urged the farming, livestock, and fishing communities in Sabah to embrace change and adopt new technologies in modern farming practices and farm management.
