16/04/2012 (Borneo Post) - A Technology Skills Center is expected to be built in Sabah to create modern farmers, according to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

He said a Peninsular-based institute has visited to him to discuss the establishment of the center, which will provide courses to equip youths who are keen on modern farming with the necessary skills.

Sabah Agriculture Director had met him and asked the state government to provide two or three acres of land in Sandakan for the establishment of the center, Musa  said when opening the Sandakan Area Farmers Organisation office in Bandar Labuk here yesterday.

“On this basis, I agree completely because the construction of a training center will bring a lot of benefits for our children in the future; to learn and at the same time become farmers who are also successful entrepreneurs,” he said.

He said the federal government along with the state government plays a vital role in ensuring new farming methods are augmented and used by the people in the agriculture industry to increase their income through more productive farming.

“Currently, there are a lot of people in the agriculture industry in this state who have increased their agricultural output by using new technology and modern farming methods.”

Musa said the government has opened a lot of small and medium industries (SMI) in each district to help farmers market their crops.

He said a plot of land was given for the State Farmers’ Organization to venture into oil palm plantation and has since produced good results.

He said that since 1993 the government has allocated RM29 million to construct 25 Farmers’ Organization offices throughout Sabah.

He said the facilities should be fully utilized by the farmers’ organization to provide the best services to its members who are involved in the agriculture industry in each district.

Musa said the state government will always support the commitment of the federal government in developing the agriculture industry in the state so that they can create maximum impetus in driving the state’s development to a higher level.

Also present at the event were Malaysia Farmers’ Board chairman Datuk Haji Zainal Dahalan, Agriculture Development Council chairman Juslie Ajirol, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Khoo, Gum-Gum State assemblyman Datuk Haji Zakaria Edris, and Sandakan Municipal Council President Datuk James Wong.