The Sabah government has launched a six-year programme to revitalise its rural economy, with a focus on transforming agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and downstream industries into powerful engines of growth.

The Rural Agricultural Economic Revolution (RAER), spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (MAFFI), will run from 2025 to 2030 and aims to unlock up to RM3 billion in economic value by the end of its cycle.

Approved by the State Cabinet, the programme kicks off with an initial RM10 million allocation this year. Officials say it will target 100,000 individuals and rural households across Sabah, with a strong push for entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable development.

“RAER is about building resilient and productive rural economies that can contribute meaningfully to the state’s overall progress,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Instead of a top-down approach, the programme will rely on a collaborative delivery model involving ministries, government agencies, state-linked firms, academic institutions, private sector players and community-based organisations. Several implementing anchors, including those from the commercial sector, are expected to lead specific clusters under the initiative.

Authorities say the initiative is grounded in the belief that rural transformation requires a whole-of-society approach. From policymakers and researchers to entrepreneurs and local leaders, the programme seeks to bring everyone to the table.

The RAER slogan, “Unity is Duty”, is designed to reflect that spirit of collective responsibility, calling on all Sabahans to play a role in the state’s rural revitalisation journey.

The official launch of RAER is scheduled for May 1 in Tambunan, to coincide with the opening of the Kaamatan Festival. – April 3, 2025