The Role of Zakat, Infaq, Shadaqah & Waqf in Attaining Food Resilience for Indonesia

President Prabowo Subianto held a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday (2/12/2024). He issued a directive for a sovereign food policy to secure food self-sufficiency, reflecting the government's strong commitment to establishing Indonesia as the world's food barn by 2028.

It is a vital objective for the government while offering some realistic solutions for specific issues: reducing foreign imports, which could lead to uncontrolled domestic inflation and even food shortages; enhancing the prosperity of local farmers to boost their market value; and fostering nutritional standards and public health to boost Indonesia's productivity.

However, the obstacles to reaching this state are getting more intricate owing to overpopulation, climate change, land degradation, and poor distribution of food. This is where assistance from other subsystems like zakat, infaq, shadaqah, and waqf (ZISWAF) becomes necessary.

The role of ZISWAF

Zakat is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam that functions as a mechanism for wealth transfer to promote societal wellbeing. It is proven to be advantageous in several empowerment projects that contribute to the attainment of food sovereignty.

In 2023, the National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) successfully gathered zakat totaling IDR 33 trillion, with an additional IDR 26 trillion by mid-2024. Its first program consisted of charity aid via food subsidies for the disadvantageous.

Meanwhile, the second initiative is meant to boost the agricultural production of the small farmers who possess less than one and a half acres of land. Thus, zakat funding can be utilized to distribute proper training, technology, and market access for these farmers.

Additionally. Infaq and shadaqah may also play a role in this context, particularly during rare circumstances like natural catastrophes. These provide quick, direct support for the communities impacted by the disaster with complimentary food aid, community kitchens, and fundamental food assistance.

The last is waqf, which offers diverse types of productive properties, whether they are movable or not, including waqf land for the construction of agricultural facilities, as well as waqf fund models for agricultural enterprises and food distribution.

Despite the abundance of immovable assets such as land and buildings, they have not reached their full potential yet. If properly utilized, these assets could potentially improve food security by converting waqf land into agricultural fields or repurposing waqf buildings as food distribution centers.

Furthermore, waqf assets may be cultivated into a cohesive agricultural ecosystem, including pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) or waqf-oriented food cooperatives. Collaboration among zakat and waqf institutions, the business sector, and the government is the only way to achieve this.

Through effective administration, digitization, education, and collaboration among many stakeholders, ZISWAF serves as both a catalyst for community welfare and national food security, necessitating a collective commitment to sustainable development. 

By enhancing the administration of ZISWAF, it ensures more transparent fund distribution and extends access to a higher number of recipients. As a result, Indonesia can achieve food sovereignty and build future-proof economic stability. 

Author: Nur Rianto Al Arif, a professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business at UIN Jakarta

Translator: Muhamad Arifin Ilham