Indonesian young Muslims keen to care about environment, food loss and waste in Ramadan short class

Ramadan Islamic short class program highlights the theme ‘Towards Social Piety: Actions of Young People to Reduce the Impact of Climate Change and Strengthen Food Resilience’.

 

Bogor, W Java (Indonesia Window) – Around 100 students of different Islamic boarding schools at the levels of junior and senior high schools from different cities in Indonesia as well as universities in the country’s Bogor City, participated in a Ramadan Islamic short class program initiated by the Jabodetabek Journalist Community, in Bogor City, West Java province, Saturday (Mar 15).

Jabodetabek stands for Indonesia’s capital Jakarta and its surrounding cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.

The program, which has been held for the 14th time this year, carries the theme ‘Towards Social Piety: Actions of Young People to Reduce the Impact of Climate Change and Strengthen Food Resilience’.

“This year we are highlighting an environmental topic because this is one of the five issues of the World Bank, namely climate change,” the head of the program’s committee, Dr. Lalu Solihin, said in a special interview with Indonesia Window following the event, here on Saturday (March 15).

He pointed out that climate change and environmental problems due to this phenomenon have had an impact on the economic sector throughout the world.

“Climate change has caused extreme heat, forest fires, as well as crop failures and damage to food crops. Crop failures have the potential to cause food shortages, and if food stocks are reduced or limited, making prices increase. In the worst situation, there would be competition over foods because people do not want to sell their stocks at the global level,” said the lecturer majoring in development economics at Nusa Bangsa University in Bogor.

Although this is a global problem, he continued, actions to overcome climate change could be carried out in small or nearby environments.

“Each short class participant gets one fruit plant seedling that they should plant at home. If they do not have land, they can plant it in a public place. We hope that in four years the plant will produce fruit that can be consumed by people.

Even if it does not bear fruit, the trees still have the function of absorbing water, thus helping to prevent flooding during the rainy season,” Dr. Lalu explained.

He emphasized that the action was a small action, but had ‘jariyah’ value, which in Islamic teaching means providing continuous and sustainable benefits.

“By planting trees, these young people will also have a role in the environment, because the best people are those who are useful to others,” Dr. Lalu underscored.

The short class presented a number of speakers who shared information, knowledge, and their experiences, as well as discussed with the participants.

The speakers were the Director of Food and Nutrition Alertness, from the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Nita Yulianis, who delivered materials on the importance of reducing food waste starting from oneself.

In the next session, Usmawati Anggita from the non-profit Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was present and explained about marine nutrition for a healthy lifestyle; and Fajar Maulana from Aviary Park was present and discussed open green spaces in the middle of the city as well as environmental and wildlife conservation efforts.

In addition, a barista from local café called Kopi Tugoh Signature Bogor was also present and shared knowledge about coffee beans and processed coffee drinks.

The Ramadan short class program is supported by MIND ID, PT Telkom Indonesia, National Food Agency (Bapanas), Taman Safari Indonesia (the Indonesian Safari Park) Cisarua-Bogor, Bakrie Amanah National Zakat Institution (LAZ), Aviary Park Indonesia, Indofood, Tatajabar, Lezza (Unirama Group), Dr Chicken, Alfamart, Semen Tiga Roda (an Indonesian cement company), AQUA, the Cibinong Center Industrial Estate (CCIE), MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) Indonesia, and cafe Kopi Tugoh.

Reporting by Indonesia Window