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KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has made key strides in food security under the SMJ 1.0 development plan, including the formation of the Sabah Padi and Rice Board and a padi takaful scheme for farmers.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan told the State Assembly that 100 hectares of new padi land were developed in Kota Marudu, and grazing reserves can now be converted for agriculture.

Sabah also exported its first MD2 pineapples to Singapore, launched new plantations in Beaufort and Kota Marudu, and built six Agricultural Produce Collection Centres.

Rubber plantations grew to 241,245 hectares, with latex output rising fourfold. Livestock numbers rose by 2.47 million between 2021 and 2023, while self-sufficiency levels for chicken meat, eggs, goat meat, and fresh milk surpassed 100pc.

The Kinabalu Livestock Integrated Centre in Tawau now houses over 15,000 animals, and Ko-Nelayan boosted hybrid grouper fry production to nearly 63,000. Freshwater fish output rose to 2,006 tonnes in 2023, and marine fish landings totaled over 659,000 tonnes in three years.