A 2011 data shows that Malaysia has about 11,091 hectares of waqf land of which 89.32% are left idle. Based on current market prices, the value of such waqf assets could reach several billions of Ringgit. This could be considered a failure of the waqf institution as the land is supposed to be developed to generate the intended benefits to waqf stakeholders.
Funding has been identified as one of the key challenges in waqf development. Nevertheless, with the brisk pace of innovation taking place in Islamic finance industry, it provides an alternative avenue to the waqf institution to explore and utilise modern financial techniques to raise the required funding.
While funding may not presently become a major issue of concern, it is in actual fact not the only challenge faced by the State Religious Councils (SRCs) in the development of waqf land. Some of them are said to be uneconomical to be developed because of geographical constraints such as remote location, small in size as well as scattered and random positions throughout the states.
Such a claim could be considered valid especially when the development is understood within the context of construction and engineering projects. As a matter of fact, this narrow notion of development is also prevalent when it comes to the development of waqf land. It seems to be understood that it should happen in a form of an erection of a building or construction of residential or commercial or institutional uses which later are leased out for rental income.
It is very uncommon for most people to relate the notion of development to agricultural and horticultural ventures. In reality, the agricultural and plantation sector could be a lucrative industry if it is done with full commitment and dedication. It therefore could also be applied to the development of the waqf land.
No country in this world can deny the importance of the agriculture sector to the livelihood of its people. Perhaps the country can rule out the social and economic importance of the agriculture sector as it can rely on manufacturing or service industries for national income. However, to dismiss the role of agriculture in ensuring a nation of food security is untenable. Moreover, food is a fundamental requirement for all human beings.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines food security as a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Should the above definition be used as a yardstick to assess the level of food security in this country, we could say that we live in a food secure society. Indeed, we live in food abundant society. Otherwise, the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation which oversees the solid waste management systems in this country would not have come out with a claim that food leftovers are the highest component in the solid waste compositions scale at 45%. Food wastage is more rampant during the month of Ramadan— the month in which among others, Muslims should learn how to grow in empathy and compassion for others especially the poor and the hungry—where an approximately 9000 tonnes of food are discarded on a daily basis.
Although we could claim to live in a food secured nation, this means that neither the issue of food insecurity does not exist in Malaysia nor should it be treated with minimal urgency. Problems of childhood malnutrition still persist in this country especially in the rural areas. Poverty and hunger in urban areas are another indicator that food insecurity does exist in Malaysia.
What we should be worried more about is the fact that we still rely on imports for our food supply. According to the Economic Planning Unit, to date our self sufficiency level (SSL) of food commodities has yet to reach 100% fulfilment. The 2015 SSL estimate for rice is 71.4%, while beef, mutton and milk are 27.2%, 17.3% and 13% respectively.
Climate change, pests and diseases could disrupt food production in the exporting countries. If this were to happen, the price of food commodity will increase as there is shortage in supply. Therefore, one of the perils of reliance on foreign imports for food supply is the rise in food prices. The worst case scenario is no supply could be made available to the importing country.
Thus, reliance on foreign imports for domestic food supply can contribute to food insecurity. It could cause rise in food prices and when combined with political and economic spheres, it could become a serious threat to human security. This is evident from the 2007-2008 world food crisis when food protests and riots broke out in 48 countries as a result of the surge of world food prices (Brinkman & Hendrix, 2011).
Therefore, it is imperative to ensure our SSL at the maximum level of independence possible. In addition to various measures and programmes initiated by the government in the 10th Malaysia Plan to increase food production such as the use of quality seeds, breeds and fries, wider adoption of technologies, establishment of new large-scale food production areas etc; the use of idle waqf land for food production should be explored as another avenue in achieving targets of national food security initiatives.
It is agriculture sector that produces food and food is one of the basic necessities of life. With various government agencies which are ready to help such as the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), the Federal Agricultural and Marketing Authority (FAMA), and the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia etc, it is high time for the SRCs—which are the waqf administrators—to look into the possibility of developing idle waqf lands through agricultural pursuits. Besides a diversification benefit derived, by investing in agriculture, the SRCs are indirectly contributing in a more meaningful way, not only to the waqif (the one who endows his asset or land for the purpose of waqf) and his beneficiaries; but also to the society at large as the measure would help them have a stable food security.