From Aceh to the World, IKHW Introduces Waqf Forests at Malaysia's International Forum

The Inisiatif Konservasi Hutan Wakaf (IKHW) community from Aceh has reaffirmed its role on the global stage. From 24–26 April 2026, IKHW appeared as speakers at the Food Forest Forum 2026 held at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in Kampar, Perak, Malaysia. This international forum brings together practitioners, academics, and environmental activists from various countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and the UK. In the forum, IKHW brought a simple yet fundamental idea: viewing forests not merely as production sources, but as trusts that must be preserved across generations. IKHW representatives Abdul Qudus and Dara Adilla presented material titled “Food Forest as Moral Landscape”. In their presentation, IKHW invited participants to understand food forests not just as agricultural systems, but as moral landscapes; living spaces that reflect human relationships with nature, sustainability, and spiritual responsibility. This approach emphasises that environmental crises are not only technical issues, but also crises in human perspectives towards nature. Best Practice from Aceh IKHW not only brought concepts, but also real practices from Aceh, particularly the development of Waqf Forests in the Jantho and Seulimum areas, Aceh Besar. In recent years, this area has shown significant ecological recovery, marked by increased forest cover and the return of several wild animals to their habitats. The developed model integrates agroforestry and food forests in a mutually reinforcing system. In Seulimum, IKHW developed food forests based on species diversity through intercropping patterns, with commodities such as avocados, duku, and coffee. In this system, trees are not only seen as commodities, but as parts of ecological structures that maintain environmental balance. Instead of prioritising single production, this approach relies on diversity as a source of resilience—both against climate change, pest attacks, and economic fluctuations.