Baznas Guides Mustahik Farmers to Harvest 150 Tonnes of Rice in North Sumatra

The National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) has successfully guided mustahik (zakat beneficiary) farmers to a bumper harvest of 150 tonnes of rice in Kwala Gunung Village, Datuk Lima Puluh District, Batu Bara Regency, North Sumatra. The harvest was achieved through the Baznas Lumbung Pangan (Food Barn) Programme, which is designed to optimise the potential of zakat funds to improve the welfare of assisted farmers while simultaneously supporting regional food security.

Baznas Chairman Sodik Mudjahid stated that the programme aims to lift local farmers out of poverty by maximising the use of zakat. The 150 tonnes of dry unhusked rice (GKP) were produced from 32 hectares of land managed sustainably by 52 farmers from three local farmer groups under Baznas’ guidance.

Nationally, the Lumbung Pangan Programme has grown significantly since 2018, reaching 21 locations across 11 provinces and disbursing Rp10 billion in aid to 1,629 mustahik beneficiaries. The programme has been designated as one of Baznas’ 13 priority programmes for the 2026-2031 period, focusing on technical assistance, technology provision, and market access.

Sodik Mudjahid emphasised that the success of the agricultural programme in Batu Bara Regency was the result of close collaboration between Baznas, the North Sumatra Provincial Government, the Batu Bara Regency Government, academics, religious leaders, and the beneficiary communities themselves. This strengthening of the agricultural sector aligns with the region’s commitment to supporting the national food security programme, which is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s Asta Cita vision. Batu Bara Regent Baharuddin Siagian remarked that with robust food security, the nation would never be shaken.