Report on industrial training at Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Negeri Sabah (SLDB), Ladang Agropolitan Lalampas, Tongod

Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) or Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Negeri Sabah, was given the key role of formatting and carrying out projects for land development and settlements in the State of Sabah upon its incorporation on January 1, 1969. At its peak of operations, SLDB had established and managed some 90,000 hectares of commercial oil palm plantation and eight palm oil mill state wide. However, in 1996 the State Government corporatized all SLDB's commercial operation. This way taken over by Sawit Kinabalu Berhad Group. SLDB was left with overseeing the settlement schemes and one small commercial estate, totaling some 15,000 hectares of plantations. SLDB's project are scattered over the east coast and focused in the interior of Sabah. SLDB is spearheading land development to add value to the dwindling land available for food cultivation, and at the same time, assist in government poverty-alleviation programmes. Apart from business opportunities and a broader earning base, SLDB projects help bring development to the rural areas villagers or smallholders, to give them a better quality of life. SLDB is currently developing 5,182 hectares of land in the interior and a further 5,000 hectares in 2011. A second palm oil mill is to be constructed at Pandewan, Nabawan. Despite SLDB's diversification programme, oil palm will continue to be its core business.