Sabah Kebun Dapur initiative will be complemented with smartphone app

Jamawi Jaafar conducts training for breeder

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's Kebun Dapur Initiative will be complemented with a smartphone application.

State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the application, known as the “Kebun Dapur App”, is designed to allow users to access real-time information on the availability of agricultural and livestock produce.

“Through this application, we can know how much cabbage is available in Kundasang today, or the supply of tilapia across the state.

“Farmers can inform in advance, for example, that they will produce 100 kilograms of okra on a certain date, and buyers can place orders directly through the app,” he was quoted in a statement after officiating a laying hen farming course at Kampung Karambunai Baru in the Pantai Dalit state constituency today.

The Melalap assemblyman said that the application will also directly connect producers with buyers, enabling better planning of supply and demand over a given period.

He added that the approach would not only improve supply chain efficiency but also reduce wastage of agricultural produce.

At the same time, he stressed that the application would help reduce reliance on middlemen who often suppress prices at the farm level.

“Sometimes middlemen buy produce at low prices in villages but sell them at much higher prices in towns. This is unfair to farmers who work hard to produce their goods,” he said.

As such, he noted that the app is expected to increase the income of farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen through more transparent market access.

Elaborating further, Jamawi said the Kebun Dapur initiative also focuses on promoting household-level self-sufficiency in food production.

He said the programme encourages rural communities to rear chickens and ducks, as well as grow vegetables around their homes to reduce the cost of living.

“If households have their own food sources, there will be fewer complaints about the high prices of chicken, fish or vegetables,” he said.

He also pointed out that Sabah still relies on imports for up to 95 per cent of its animal feed, which contributes to rising costs during global crises.

“When feed prices increase, production costs go up, and consumers ultimately bear the higher prices,” he said.

In response, the state government is actively providing training and guidance to communities through the Kebun Dapur programme with support from experienced mentors.

He said courses such as laying hen farming and the production of animal feed using local resources are conducted practically in the field.