The government is starting to focus on building a halal ecosystem in Indonesia. This is proven by Halal Industrial Areas (KIH) in several regions. In addition, Halal Culinary Areas (KKH) in various cities in Indonesia have also started to emerge. Which cities? Is your area included in it?
Kauman Solo Halal Culinary, Solo City
In Solo City, one of the villages being mobilized to become a pilot project for halal culinary tourism is Kauman Village. So far, Kampung Kauman Solo is known as a centre for batik production. The surrounding area has also been equipped with tourism support facilities such as hotels and places to sell souvenirs in the form of typical Solo food.
The grand launching of the Solo City KKH was carried out on January 8, 2022, by holding the Kauman Solo Halal Culinary Festival. The festival was organized by the Regional Representative Office of Bank Indonesia Solo in collaboration with the Regional Management of the Surakarta Islamic Economic Community (MES), supported by Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) and other related parties.
“This agenda is a follow-up to the training program to increase capacity building for MSME actors and is part of the halal culinary area development program in Kampung Kauman Solo,” said the Head of Bank Indonesia Solo, Nugroho Joko Prastowo.
Nugroho explained that the Solo City KKH program was held to support the declaration of Kampung Batik Kauman Solo as a halal culinary area. In his opinion, this initiative is part of the means to stimulate the enthusiasm of culinary MSMEs in Solo, which had slumped due to the pandemic, considering that culinary is a sector that contributes significantly, namely 40% to the development of the creative economy in Solo.
Therefore, Nugroho hopes that this program can popularize various culinary specialities of Solo so that it will have an impact on strengthening creative economic activities that are donated through multiple creations of halal culinary products.
The general Chairman of MES Surakarta, Ibrahim Fatwa Wijaya, said that his party is encouraging the halal food campaign movement in Kauman Solo and is ready to assist socialization and marketing efforts through e-commerce or marketplaces. This is a joint effort so that local MSMEs can upgrade their class to penetrate the national market and become exporters of world halal culinary products.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Kauman Solo Village Association, Gunawan Wibisono, revealed that his party continues to move to participate in the campaign for halal culinary MSMEs with the Surakarta City Government, BI Solo, as well as MES and BSI so that the capacity building of MSMEs in Kauman Solo Village can be massively encouraged.
Tamansari Halal Culinary, Bandung City
To provide a sense of comfort and security, especially for tourists, the Bandung City Government (Pemkot) developed a halal culinary zone. This activity was a collaboration between the Bandung City Government and the National Sharia Economic and Finance Committee (KNEKS) in Bandung.
Acting Mayor of Bandung, Yana Mulyana, said that he hopes the halal culinary zone can improve the economy and tourism in Bandung. “The halal tourism zone is not new if you look in the mirror at other countries. Many countries have provided facilities like this for tourists looking for halal food,” he said.
According to Yana, halal is not only for Muslim tourists but can also be enjoyed by the whole community. Therefore, do not let the stigma that Bandung is only for Muslims. Anyone can visit the halal tourism zone, such as at several culinary street vendor centres.
Bandung City Halal Culinary Area is located in Tamansari and its surroundings, designated as an integrated halal tourism zone. Apart from that, it is also close to the Salman ITB Mosque and several other shopping places. In the Tamansari area and its surroundings, many potential tourism can become tourist routes.
Matraman Halal Culinary, Central Jakarta
In Jakarta, KKH is stationed in the Matraman area, Central Jakarta, near the historic Matraman Mosque. Driven by the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas), this area will become a halal culinary tourism destination in Jakarta, involving 42 MSME actors.
Head of Bazis DKI Jakarta, Dr. H. Ahmad Abubakar said that the involvement of MSMEs is essential because it will positively impact building the community’s economy. “It is hoped that this halal culinary area will become an attraction for residents to visit because it serves halal food and drinks,” said Ahmad Abubakar, as quoted by Republika.
In preparation for becoming a halal area, all MSMEs that will offer their products in the area are said to have received technical guidance on halal certification provided by LPPOM MUI. This halal certification training activity aims to guide and foster MSMEs so that they can follow regulations regarding the halal products being marketed.
Previously, following the issuance of the DKI Governor’s Regulation regarding halal, Jakarta also pioneered a halal culinary area in the National Monument area. At that time, around 118 business actors in Monas Park already had MUI halal certificates.
However, in line with the revitalization program for the Monas area by Pemprof DKI, the existence of a halal area at Monas is almost unheard of, and now a similar concept has emerged in the Matraman Great Mosque area, East Jakarta.
Sempur Halal Culinary, Bogor City
Bogor, known as a natural and culinary tourism destination, has initiated the establishment of the KKH in the Sempur area in the centre of Bogor city. The street vendors (PKL), often in the Sempur Square area, are targeted by the Bogor City Economic and MSME Office. They were facilitated to take care of halal certification and reorganized on land the local government had prepared.
According to data released by the Bogor City Economic and Small Medium Enterprises and Micro Business Office, at the initial stage, there were as many as 25 culinary traders who would be transferred to KKH. The location to be built is a street vendor zone for traders selling their wares in the area for a long time.
In Bogor itself, there are at least 10,000 street vendors whose existence must be managed. According to the Mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya Sugiarto, they must be given a place and arranged to be attractive to tourists visiting the city of Bogor.
In the KKH project, the Bogor City government is tasked with providing land and determining traders deemed to meet the requirements to occupy KKH. Banking is tasked with financing development, channelling capital to traders, and strengthening the management system so that the culinary products sold are of a prime quality, hygienic, halal, and have a reasonable or inexpensive selling price.
With the arrangement of the KKH, Bima Arya hopes that the Sempur field will be used as a sports area and a halal culinary centre for Bogor residents and immigrants. Bogor has established itself as a city that is friendly to halal food. (***)
