[iCONADA Research Team] A Grain of Rice: It's Local History, Technology, Industry, and Future.

The recent rice-growing results involving TR8 in several rice-growing areas of Tenom, Sabah [see: See Hua Daily News, August 25, 2026] once again remind us of a fact that is easily overlooked: rural areas do not necessarily mean backwardness, and local resources are not necessarily of low value. What truly determines whether a place can transform itself is its ability to turn “what local people know” into “what local people can do,” and then transform those capabilities into opportunities for the next generation to learn, start businesses, and build a life in their own community.

(Original image source: See Hua Daily News)

The rice-growing experiences of Garibadang Baru, Garibadang Lama, Kuala Tomani, and Melles provide a very concrete example.

According to data released by the state government, TR8 has demonstrated a potential yield of up to approximately 10 tonnes per hectare in some rice-growing areas of Tenom. At the approximately 67 hectares of rice fields in Garibadang Baru currently planted with TR8, the highest yield recorded over the past three years has reached 10 tonnes per hectare. Rice panicles sampled on site contained approximately 165 to 185 grains each, with the expected yield estimated at 8 to 9 tonnes per hectare. This figure is particularly noteworthy because the same data indicate that the rice-growing areas of Kota Belud have achieved a maximum of approximately 5 tonnes per hectare, while Telupid has reached about 4.5 tonnes.

In other words, what truly deserves our attention is not the impressive figure of “10 tonnes,” but the local knowledge represented by those 10 tonnes.