KOTA KINABALU, Dec 22, 2025: Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar has called on the Rural Development Corporation (KPD) to remain firmly committed to delivering high-impact projects that directly boost food production and safeguard the state’s food security.
Jamawi said KPD must continue strengthening initiatives that provide tangible benefits to rural farming communities, particularly in raising household incomes while ensuring a stable and sufficient food supply for Sabah.
He stressed that KPD programmes anchored on Contract Farming schemes, involving targeted participation from rural groups, should be further enhanced and expanded to reach more beneficiaries.
“KPD participants are already involved in a wide range of agriculture and livestock activities, including mushroom farming, broiler and village chicken rearing, beekeeping and pomelo cultivation — all of which have strong potential to generate additional income,” he said.
However, Jamawi emphasised that these activities should not only be scaled up in terms of numbers and production capacity, but also expanded into new areas and diversified into more crop and livestock activities, so that a larger segment of the population can benefit.
He said this while speaking at the KPD Appreciation Night 2025 at the Hakka Hall, Tanjung Lipat, Likas, on Monday night.
Jamawi reiterated that KPD must remain close to the people’s hearts, serving as a key reference point in the agency’s development planning, with a clear focus on projects that deliver direct benefits to rural farming communities.
He also urged KPD to conduct continuous evaluations and improvements to programmes that have a direct impact on household incomes and family food sufficiency.
According to him, surplus produce from home gardens has the potential to be sold as an additional income source and channelled to eight KPD Agricultural Produce Collection Centres (APCCs) currently operating in Beaufort, Kota Marudu, Keningau, Kundasang, Telupid, Lahad Datu, Tambunan and Kampung Togudon Moyog in Penampang.
He added that two new APCCs in Nabawan and Tenom, which have been completed, are scheduled to begin operations in 2026 and will purchase agricultural produce from farmers in the surrounding areas.
“The construction of APCCs by KPD is highly relevant as an alternative marketing channel for agricultural produce, especially in supporting the overall development of Sabah’s agriculture sector,” he said.
Against the backdrop of a challenging economic climate and rising agricultural input costs, Jamawi said farmers must continue to receive support to ease the pressures they face.
He noted that from his first day as MAFFI minister, his key focus has been on empowering the ‘home garden’ concept, enabling farmers to meet their daily food needs while reducing household expenses.
Jamawi also expressed hope that more young people would venture into agriculture and emerge as successful agro-entrepreneurs.
He thanked KPD’s management for its people-centred initiatives and expressed hope that the corporation would continue to support the state’s development agenda. He also congratulated KPD for contributing RM1 million to the Sabah State Government.
Also present were Assistant Minister I Datuk Haji Ruslan Muharam, Permanent Secretary Datuk Leonard Stephen Poyong, KPD General Manager Jamilah Lee, and Desa Padi Plantation Sdn Bhd Managing Director Datuk Yap Yun Fook, who is also KPD’s business partner and main sponsor of the appreciation event.
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