LAHAD DATU: The State Government is strengthening the agri-food sector by producing skilled workforce through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), in line with the direction of the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) Blueprint 2.0.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the strategic measures are important for building a competitive, inclusive and sustainable economy through increased productivity, expanded community participation and responsible resource management.
The agri-food sector has great potential for development through agriculture, livestock farming, aquaculture and food processing, but it requires skilled labour, appropriate technology and strong market connections to support food security.
“To support this effort, 80 participants are targeted to obtain the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3 in eight fields of agriculture and agro-food through the Recognition of Prior Achievement (PPT) Practical Assessment (PPA) method under the Department of Skills Development (JPK),” he said when officiating the Sedia AgroFoodPakar during the Agro TVET Madani Carnival at the Lahad Datu Vocational College (KVLD), here.
His speech was read by the Sabah Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk James Ratib.
The inaugural programme at KVLD was conducted over a period of two days compared to the usual pathway of up to 18 months, with the participation cost fully covered by the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia).
The eight areas of expertise are the supervision of ruminant farms, agricultural biotechnology laboratory operations, freshwater aquaculture supervision, poultry farm operations, plantation agricultural machinery, landscape construction supervision, crop production operations and food processing.
In addition to skill certification, Hajiji said the collaboration between Sedia and KVLD is also being expanded through the IPR-Intan Ginger Planting Programme, with the support of the Ministry of Economy to strengthen local capacity in eradicating poverty.
“Through this initiative, 30 participants from the B40 group are targeted to generate an income of RM2,000 per month by providing 1,000 ginger seeds for each individual to cultivate on a three-acre (1.21 hectare) site in KVLD,” he said.
At the same event, the Coconut Tree Planting Initiative was also launched in an area of 10 acres in KVLD, involving the planting of 1,000 seedlings of the pandan and tacunan varieties.
The coconut planting initiative aims for recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records for the category of planting the most coconut seedlings in a single event, with 456 seedlings jointly contributed by Sedia and KVLD, while the remainder provided by Sedia.
Hajiji hopes the carnival will serve as a platform to bring together training institutions, industries, government agencies, and the community to share knowledge and explore new wealth potentials that can create extensive job opportunities in rural areas.
