Baznas RI empowers mustahik in Banyumas through chicken farming

The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) RI is strengthening efforts to alleviate extreme poverty in Cilongok District, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, through the launch of the Perempuan Mandiri melalui Ternak Ayam (Permata) programme.

Baznas RI Vice Chairman Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi explained in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday that funds amounting to Rp193,840,000 have been disbursed to empower 30 families in the area. “We affirm Baznas’ full commitment to supporting the government’s programme to accelerate the eradication of extreme poverty in Banyumas, which has a fairly high concentration of poor residents,” he said.

Zainut noted that the empowerment programme is also strengthened by the Banyumas Regency Baznas, which has allocated a matching budget of Rp240 million to provide cultivation capital and hatchery machines in 12 other villages. He expressed hope that the Elba chicken farming programme would help housewives become economically independent while sustainably strengthening their families’ food security.

“We are very optimistic that this cross-sector synergy can become a pilot for an applicable and easily replicable economic model, thereby bringing concrete welfare improvements to the wider community,” said Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi.

On a separate occasion, Deputy for Village, Disadvantaged Villages, and Specific Villages Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Abdul Haris, stated that collaboration among stakeholders is key to strengthening locally based economies. According to him, the Permata Programme is developed with a circular economy concept, integrating livestock and agriculture so that animal waste can be reused as fertiliser or supporting materials for cultivation activities.

“This is what is called a circular economy. Chicken manure becomes fertiliser, which is then reused to support agricultural activities, thus creating a sustainable cycle,” said Abdul Haris.