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 Federal Government committed to modernising the farming sector and boosting rice self-sufficiency in the area.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu (pic) said he was impressed by the progress of the Padi Estate Modernisation Project 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 yesterday.
Mohamad 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 Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan Pitas.
The Pitas initiative is among several key efforts in Sabah aimed at reducing the state’s reliance on rice imports.
Mohamad said several private companies have expressed interest in investing in large-scale padi 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 padi full-time, and their income is stable.
“It’s a good sign that more youths are proud to become farmers,” Mohamad said.
