KOTA KINABALU: Pitas, a rural district in northern Sabah, has been recognised as one of the state’s key strongholds for food security, with the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry committed to modernising the farming sector and boosting rice self-sufficiency in the area.
The ministry’s efforts are part of the federal government’s efforts to strengthen agriculture in Sabah, where paddy farming continues to expand.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said he was impressed by the progress of the Paddy Estate Modernisation Project (MEP) in Pitas, which has grown from three to six plots and doubled yields from three to six metric tonnes per hectare per season.
“Pitas has great potential. The farmers here are dedicated, and with continued collaboration between the federal and state governments, we can increase output even further,” he said during a working visit to the district on Saturday (Oct 25).
He said the ministry has provided two tractors and a full rubber truck worth nearly RM1mil to help local farmers increase mechanisation, while the project’s success is driven by centralised management, coordinated fieldwork and strategic partnerships under the Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan Pitas.
The Pitas initiative is among several key efforts in Sabah aimed at reducing the state’s reliance on rice imports from Peninsular Malaysia and abroad.
Mohamad said several private companies have expressed interest in investing in large-scale paddy cultivation, which would help Malaysia raise its rice self-sufficiency level from 65% to 80% by 2030.
He also encouraged more Malaysians, particularly youths, to take up farming as a full-time career.
“In Selangor, I’ve met groups of young people managing 40 to 50 hectares of paddy full time, and their income is stable. It’s a good sign that more youths are proud to become farmers,” he said.
He added that strengthening food security is now a national priority amid unpredictable climate patterns, and that Sabah and Sarawak must play stronger roles alongside Peninsular Malaysia to ensure nationwide resilience.
Mat Sabu also suggested developing agro-tourism in Pitas, saying the district could emulate successful farm-stay and agricultural tourism models seen in Kedah and Kelantan.
He further noted that Malaysia’s agricultural exports — particularly durians and pineapples — have increased, and that the ministry plans to expand shallot cultivation next year to reduce dependence on imports.
He said the ministry’s ongoing initiatives in Sabah are aligned with the Madani government’s goal of building a sustainable and resilient food ecosystem that benefits both farmers and consumers.
