Sabah's agricultural modernisation efforts will increase food sufficiency levels, says Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is focused on increasing its food self sufficiency levels annually through modernisation initiatives under the agriculture sector, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

He said the state wants to ensure that the Self-Sufficiency Level (SSL) under the agriculture sector involving crops, livestock and fishery continues to increase under the state's five-year Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan from 2021.

He said the state government had allocated a total of RM561.81mil under the 2022 Budget to ensure sustained productivity and quality of Sabah’s agricultural products.

Apart from agriculture, the SMJ Plan also focuses on manufacturing industry and tourism, he said when speaking at the 12th Edition of the Livestock, Aquaculture and Agriculture (LAA Sabah) Exhibition at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Friday (Aug 5).

Hajiji said the plan pushes for an economic growth that would be driven by a faster-than-expected recovery in consumer demand, greater investor confidence which would lay the foundation for a more robust recovery in domestic economic activity.

Hajiji said Sabah was among the main exporters of fresh fish produce in Malaysia contributing RM2.03bil or about 15.7% annually to the state’s Gross Domestic Product.

"The state Government is focusing on downstream processing for its capture fishery into high-quality products.

"With the Federal giving licensing powers for deep sea fishing to the Sabah Fisheries Department, there was also a huge potential for investors to venture into deep fishing and related downstream industries," Hajiji said in his speech read by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.

Hajiji said the prospects remained bright for the livestock sector as further expansion and effective improvement in key strategic enablers was in sight that would enhance the value chain systems of the entire industry.

"By 2030, the population of buffalo and cattle will be 26,248 head and 148,305 head respectively. The SSL for beef is projected to increase throughout the period until it reaches 21.3% by 2030," he said.

"The agriculture industry is an important contributor to the Malaysian Economy by providing rural employment, uplifting rural income and ensuring national food security. It also acts as a catalyst and key pillar to the country’s export," he added.

Sabah’s agriculture sector alone contributed 15.9% to the State’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021, the third highest contribution after its services sector at 47% and mining and quarrying at 26%.