by David E.
KOTA MARUDU: August 4, 2026 – For years, participants in agricultural programmes have simply waited for aid to arrive. If it did not come, crops were left untended and livestock projects ground to a halt. Now, that approach is being turned on its head. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFFI) wants farmers and breeders to prove their commitment first.
Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar admitted that previous schemes had a success rate of just 35%, driven largely by a culture of giving rather than a culture of doing.
“This time, we want them to execute first. Once they show progress, only then will we provide more comprehensive assistance,” he said during the launch of the Kitchen Garden roadshow in Kota Marudu.
For Pak Ali, a participant in Kampung Gana who started planting MD2 pineapples on a small scale using his own capital, this shift offers renewed hope.
“Before, I waited for free seeds. Now I plant first using my own money. Once I see the results, then I ask for help to expand,” he said.
Jamawi said top-performing participants would receive financing through the Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) and Agrobank, as well as mentorship from business coaches to help manage their finances and operations.
“We want them not only to succeed in producing goods but also to manage their finances well,” he added.
The state government has approved RM450,000 for a fruit-plant nursery centre in Kota Marudu, making it easier for farmers in northern Sabah to obtain quality planting materials.
On the Budi Diesel subsidy scheme, Jamawi expressed hope that ongoing negotiations with the Ministry of Finance would bring improvements, given that Sabah’s geographical landscape differs significantly from that of Peninsular Malaysia. Farmers like Pak Ali also hope transport costs will not become an added burden.
The Kitchen Garden roadshow will continue to visit all 25 parliamentary constituencies in Sabah, bringing not just aid but the opportunity for self-reliance.
Source: MAFFI
