Siaran Media

LAHAD DATU: Sabah berpotensi mengembangkan sektor agromakanan menerusi  pertanian, penternakan, akuakultur dan pemprosesan makanan, namun memerlukan  tenaga kerja berkemahiran, teknologi bersesuaian serta hubungan kukuh dengan  pasaran. 

Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, berkata sektor itu penting  dalam menyokong keterjaminan makanan, menyediakan peluang pekerjaan dan  menjana pendapatan masyarakat. 

Katanya, pembangunan sektor berkenaan perlu selari dengan hala tuju Sabah  Development Corridor (SDC) Blueprint 2.0 yang menekankan pembangunan ekonomi  berdaya saing, inklusif dan mampan. 

"Hala tuju itu perlu diterjemahkan melalui peningkatan produktiviti, peluasan penyertaan  masyarakat dalam kegiatan ekonomi serta pengurusan sumber secara  bertanggungjawab", katanya pada Majlis Pelancaran SEDIA AgroFoodPakar sempena  Karnival Agro TVET MADANI Kolej Vokasional Lahad Datu (KVLD) 2026, di Dewan  Palma KVLD, hari ini. 

Teks ucapan beliau dibacakan Menteri Pendidikan, Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi Negeri,  Datuk James Ratib,  

Katanya, menerusi SEDIA AgroFoodPakar, seramai 80 peserta disasarkan memperoleh  Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) Tahap 3 dalam lapan bidang pertanian dan  agromakanan melalui kaedah Pengiktirafan Pencapaian Terdahulu (PPT)  menggunakan Penilaian Amali (PPA) di bawah Jabatan Pembangunan Kemahiran  (JPK). 

Menurutnya, program yang pertama seumpamanya di KVLD itu dilaksanakan dalam  tempoh dua hari, berbanding laluan lazim yang boleh mengambil masa sehingga 18  bulan, dengan kos penyertaan ditanggung sepenuhnya oleh Pihak Berkuasa  Pembangunan Ekonomi dan Pelaburan Sabah (SEDIA). 

Beliau berkata, lapan bidang pertanian dan agromakanan ditawarkan merangkumi  penyeliaan ladang ruminan, operasi makmal bioteknologi agrikultur, penyeliaan  akuakultur air tawar, operasi ladang poltri dan jentera pertanian perladangan,  penyeliaan pembinaan landskap, operasi pengeluaran tanaman serta pemprosesan  makanan.

Hajiji berkata, kerjasama SEDIA dan KVLD turut merangkumi Program IPR-INTAN  Tanaman Halia dengan sokongan Kementerian Ekonomi bagi memperkukuh  keupayaan tempatan dan mengembangkan potensi ekonomi agromakanan Sabah. 

Katanya, menerusi program itu, seramai 30 peserta daripada kumpulan B40, termasuk  pelajar dan ibu bapa, disasarkan menjana pendapatan RM2,000 sebulan seorang.  Setiap peserta akan menerima 1,000 benih halia untuk ditanam di kawasan seluas tiga  ekar di KVLD. 

"Program berkenaan diharap dapat memberikan pengalaman praktikal dalam  penanaman dan pengurusan pertanian, selain membantu peserta membina sumber  pendapatan tambahan yang berpotensi dikembangkan. 

"Sementara itu, Inisiatif Program Penanaman Pokok Kelapa dilaksanakan di kawasan  seluas 10 ekar di KVLD membabitkan 1,000 anak benih kelapa pandan dan tacunan",  katanya. 

Hajiji berkata, inisiatif itu bertujuan memperkukuh kerjasama antara SEDIA dengan  institusi latihan pertanian di Sabah, memberi pendedahan kepada pelajar mengenai  teknologi dan amalan pertanian moden, serta meneroka potensi sumber pendapatan  alternatif melalui hasil dan produk hiliran kelapa. 

"Bertemakan “Seribu Kelapa, Satu Legasi”, inisiatif itu turut menyasarkan pengiktirafan  Malaysia Book of Records bagi kategori “Most Coconut Tree Seedlings Planted in an  Event”. Sebanyak 456 anak benih disumbangkan bersama oleh pegawai dan kakitangan  SEDIA serta KVLD, manakala selebihnya disediakan oleh SEDIA", katanya. 

Hajiji berkata, Pendidikan dan Latihan Teknikal dan Vokasional (TVET) memainkan  peranan penting dalam membangunkan kemahiran serta membuka laluan kepada  pekerjaan dan keusahawanan. Kemahiran bukan sahaja diperoleh melalui pendidikan  formal, malah pengalaman kerja, latihan praktikal dan pembelajaran di lapangan turut  membina pengetahuan serta kompetensi yang bernilai. 

Beliau berharap Karnival Agro TVET MADANI KVLD 2026 menjadi wadah yang  mempertemukan institusi latihan, industri, agensi kerajaan dan masyarakat untuk  berkongsi ilmu serta meneroka kerjasama, selaras dengan tema “Agro Diperkasa, TVET  MADANI Dipacu”. 

Katanya, kerjasama SEDIA dan KVLD diharap dapat diteruskan dengan komitmen  kukuh bagi memastikan kemahiran diiktiraf dan dimanfaatkan, potensi pertanian  diteroka dengan lebih berkesan, serta institusi latihan terus menjadi pemangkin  pembangunan bakat dan ekonomi setempat. 

Tamat

LAHAD DATU: Sabah has the potential to expand its agri-food sector through  agriculture, livestock farming, aquaculture and food processing, however this will require  a skilled workforce, appropriate technology and strong links with markets. 

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the sector is important for  supporting food security, creating jobs and generating income for the community. 

He said the sector’s development should align with the Sabah Development Corridor  (SDC) Blueprint 2.0, which emphasises competitive, inclusive and sustainable economic  growth. 

“This direction must be translated into increased productivity, wider community  participation in economic activities and responsible resource management,” he said at  the launch of SEDIA AgroFoodPakar, held in conjunction with the 2026 MADANI Agro  TVET Carnival at the Lahad Datu Vocational College (KVLD), Palma Hall today. 

His speech was delivered by State Minister of Education, Science, Technology and  Innovation, Datuk James Ratib. 

The Chief Minister, who is also SEDIA chairman said SEDIA AgroFoodPakar aims to  help 80 participants earn a Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3 in eight agriculture  and agri-food fields. The qualification will be awarded through the Recognition of Prior  Achievement (PPT) method using Practical Assessment (PPA) under the Department of  Skills Development (JPK). 

He said the programme, the first of its kind at KVLD, will be conducted over two days,  compared with the usual scedule which can take up to 18 months. Participation costs  will be fully covered by the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority  (SEDIA). 

The eight fields offered are ruminant farm supervision, agricultural biotechnology  laboratory operations, freshwater aquaculture supervision, poultry farm operations,  plantation agricultural machinery, landscape construction supervision, crop production  operations and food processing. 

Hajiji said the partnership between SEDIA and KVLD also includes the IPR-INTAN  Ginger Cultivation Programme, supported by the Ministry of Economy, to strengthen  local capabilities and expand Sabah’s agri-food economic potential.

He said the programme aims to help 30 participants from the B40 income group,  including students and parents, earn RM2,000 per person per month. Each participant  will receive 1,000 ginger seedlings to plant on a three-acre site at KVLD. 

“The programme is expected to provide practical experience in crop cultivation and farm  management, while helping participants build an additional source of income with  potential for growth. 

“Meanwhile, the Coconut Tree Planting Programme is being carried out on a 10-acre  site at KVLD, involving 1,000 pandan and Tacunan coconut seedlings,” he said. 

Hajiji said the initiative aims to strengthen cooperation between SEDIA and agricultural  training institutions in Sabah, expose students to modern agricultural technologies and  practices, and explore alternative income opportunities through coconut products and  downstream processing. 

“Under the theme ‘A Thousand Coconuts, One Legacy’, the initiative also aims to earn  recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records in the category ‘Most Coconut Tree  Seedlings Planted in an Event’. SEDIA and KVLD officers and staff jointly contributed  456 seedlings, with the remainder provided by SEDIA,” he said. 

Hajiji said Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays an important  role in developing skills and creating pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.  Skills are gained not only through formal education; work experience, practical training  and hands-on learning also build valuable knowledge and competence. 

He expressed hope that the 2026 MADANI Agro TVET Carnival at KVLD would bring  together training institutions, industry, government agencies and the community to share  knowledge and explore partnerships, in line with the theme “Empowering Agriculture,  Advancing MADANI TVET”. 

He said the SEDIA - KVLD partnership should continue with strong commitment to  ensure that skills are recognised and put to use, agricultural potential is developed more  effectively, and training institutions continue to drive local talent and economic  development. 

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