Wajo committed for waqf forest

MOSAIC-INDONESIA.COM, WAJO — Muslims for Shared Action on Climate Impact (MOSAIC) in collaboration with Bogor Forest Waqf Foundation held a forest waqf campaign roadshow on Ramadan 1446 H in Wajo Regency, South Sulawesi, Thursday (6/3/2025).

Wajo has been declared as one of the waqf cities designated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The roadshow was held to invite public to take an active role in sustainable forest preservation through the forest waqf mechanism.

The initiative aims to utilize waqf as one of the  Islamic philanthropy concept  which have innovative financing instrument for forest conservation. Funds raised in the forest waqf will later be used to maintain the waqf forest and ensure that people and nature receive the benefits of the forest.

The event was attended by representatives of various elements such as Ministry of Religious Affairs, local government, waqf managers, academics, and community leaders. The head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Kanwil Regency, Wajo Muhammad Subhan, said that in the face of global warming, the Ministry came early to carry out an innovative program, namely Ecotheology, which the ministry outlined to the lowest level.

In South Sulawesi, the Ministry of Religious Affairs Branch has translated Ecotheology with an action. The Go Green Ministry title is picked so that the branch resource must have green value.

Furthermore, Subhan explained that the Ministry is trying to optimize productive land in KUA and Madrasah environments through planting. He also emphasized that Wajo County has its own uniqueness due to its soil fertility potential that allows different types of crops to grow well. “It's a trust we have to keep,” he added.

Ir. Andi Musdalifah, M.Si., Government and People's Welfare Assistant of Wajo Regency Secretary, emphasized the importance of discussion activities like this because Wajo is a Waqf City. “The forest waqf is a new way of preserving the environment, providing economic and educational benefits. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a sustainable forest waqf program in Wajo,” he said.

As it is known, Wajo Regency has been designated as one of the Waqf Cities in Indonesia, an initiative that aims to improve the welfare of the community by optimizing the potential of the waqaf. This strategic move opens up great opportunities for the construction of various important infrastructures whose benefits return to the community.

Nur Hasan Murtiaji, MOSAIC Steering Committee, explained that Wajo is the first town in the forest waqf roadshow in four provinces. “Wajo is special because all plants can grow. MOSAIC is here to help tackle climate change by inviting Muslims to collaborate,” he explained.

Dr. Khalifah Muhamad Ali,  IPB University lecturer and Chairman of the Bogor Waqf Forest Foundation highlighted the importance of forests for the society. “The waqf known during this time was only 3M, mosques, tombs, madrasahs. In fact, a well-managed waqf forest can empower the community given that there are still many poor people living around the forest or about 18.46 million inhabitants (63.43%),” he explained.

The meeting also facilitated discussion on the potential management of the waqf forest in Wajo. Some of the points of the discussion were, among other things, the existence of a plan for the management of the waqaf forest in Mario Village of 1.5 hectares, which will be expanded to five hectares.

In addition, there is a need to promote understanding of forest waqf and build cooperation with various parties whether academia, business, community, government, to the media in the development of waqf managers, so that integrated management of waqf forests can create an independent society.

“So this Wajo because of its natural blessing, was named one of the waqf cities in Indonesia. Through the Ministry of Religious Affairs otherwise there are only six areas in Indonesia that have been named as waqf cities. One of them is Wajo district which exists in the region of Eastern Indonesia. It is the blessing and blessing of Allah SWT for us to control and we can really prove that Wajo is indeed an area worth looking at [for the implementation of the waqaf forest] in the coming times,” Subhan said.