MAFFI focuses on strengthening the rural agriculture sector

7 February 2026

SOOK: The Kitchen Garden initiative and the implementation of modern technology-based agricultural programmes have been introduced as among the State Government’s strategic measures to strengthen food security, reduce the cost of living and improve the wellbeing of rural communities, particularly among the B40 group.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (MAFFI), Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, said that empowering the rural agriculture sector has been his primary commitment since his first day assuming office as minister.

“My foremost aspiration is to uplift the status and wellbeing of farming communities, smallholders and fishermen, most of whom fall within the low-income B40 group,” he said when officiating the Briefing and Training Roadshow Programme on Modern Fertigation Ginger Cultivation Methods (Kitchen Garden) at the Sinua Village Hall here today.

Jamawi said the Kitchen Garden Roadshow would be implemented in every parliamentary constituency in Sabah, with the first roadshow scheduled to take place on 15 February in Tuaran and to be officiated by the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.

Meanwhile, he said the ministry, together with officers from the Department of Agriculture, would provide special packages at affordable prices involving the supply of agricultural and livestock inputs such as chickens, goats, fish, vegetables and other basic agricultural necessities.

“With the Kitchen Garden initiative, where vegetables and livestock are cultivated around the home, people will no longer need to depend entirely on purchases from shops or markets,” he said.

He also commended the efforts of Calvin Chin Kit Siong, a farmer from Melalap, who organised the programme and delivered talks on ginger cultivation to the participants.

Jamawi welcomed the participation of 150 participants in the programme and informed that they would be divided into groups of 15 people each. In this regard, he allocated RM2,000 to each group to finance the ginger cultivation project.

“I am confident that this effort can improve the standard of living of the people in Sabah,” he said.

Jamawi also provided an explanation to villagers regarding the rationale behind the ministry’s ban on the cultivation of guarana in the state.

Also present were the Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Tulid, Jordan Jude Ellron; the Sook District Officer, Caroline Benjamin Jiungan; the Sook District Agriculture Officer, Azali Aling; and local community leaders.

In a separate programme, Jamawi and Jordan, together with the Keningau Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) officer, Dachord J. Moujing, visited the Transpegalan River to inspect issues related to paddy field irrigation channels leading to Kampung Kepayan Baru.

Jamawi also visited the Panagatan Dam, which is no longer receiving water. The dam has previously supported the irrigation and drainage system for four villages, namely Kampung Kasigui, Kampung Ulu Panagatan Laut, Kampung Kipirong and Kampung Panagatan Laut.