By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Government remains supportive of initiatives that strengthen agro-tourism, empower rural communities and expand agriculture-linked economic opportunities, said Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
He said such efforts are in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development agenda, which views agriculture, tourism and manufacturing as interconnected pillars of growth that support the state’s overall economy.
“Agriculture provides the foundation, tourism adds value through visitor experiences and market reach, while manufacturing supports downstream activities and value-added products.
“In this context, agro-tourism represents a natural connection between these sectors,” he said when officiating the Sabah Leisure Farms and Agricultural Tourism Forum.
The forum was organised by the Sabah Durian and Tropical Fruit Planters Association (MaSDa) in collaboration with the Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association (TLFDA), with support from the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).
During the event, MaSDa president Duane Evans and TLFDA chief executive officer Yu Wen Horng signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a cooperative framework aimed at strengthening agriculture and tourism relations between Sabah and Taiwan through tourism promotion, knowledge exchange, training opportunities and sustainable tourism development initiatives.
The collaboration also includes plans for exchange and learning programmes in Sabah and Taiwan, participation opportunities for Sabah operators under TLFDA’s Rural Tourism and Leisure Agriculture Training Institute, as well as guidance in developing and certifying Sabah’s rural leisure tourism industry.
Joniston, who is also chairman of STB, said agro-tourism is not only about agricultural production, but also about creating meaningful visitor experiences through activities such as farm visits, fruit picking, guided tours and hands-on learning activities.
“At the same time, it opens up opportunities for farmers to diversify, including through small-scale processing and value-added products,” he added.
He described the forum as timely and relevant as it brings together key players from the agriculture and tourism sectors to exchange ideas and explore practical approaches that could be adapted to Sabah’s local context.
He also expressed hope that the forum would lead to stronger partnerships, pilot projects and practical collaborations that could be implemented on the ground in Sabah.
Joniston (fourth left, standing behind), witnessed the MoU signing ceremony between Duane (seated 2nd left), and Yu (seated 2nd right).
