Universitas Brawijaya (UB/Unibraw) is developing a digital halal certification system for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia, as part of the Reverse Linkage Project. According to the head of the project team, Dr. Hagus Tarno, the system will archive documents from the processing stage through to certification. By archiving documents digitally, MSMEs will find it easier to see the results of evaluation for each step of the process.
“MSMEs that will apply for halal certification through Brawijaya University will be directed to a system that will assist them to check which documents must be prepared and filled out. Continue to the certification process, there will be another system that will make sure that the business owners know the step they are currently in — whether their documents are returned to them or they are going to the certification,” Dr Tarno said during a webinar last Sunday.
There has been a request from the Department of Cooperatives and SMEs, Malang Regency to assist 100 business owners who will apply for halal certification through Brawijaya University in the near future, he informed. “There has been an offer. We will try to apply it to the MSMEs that we will assist,” Tarno said.
The project for developing a halal digital system received US$2.06 million funding for two years (2021-23) from Serunai Malaysia and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), he said. Meanwhile, the University, IsDB and Serunai Malaysia signed a letter of intent (LOI) virtually during the webinar.
The LOI will be followed up with a tri-partite agreement before the project is carried out, Tarno said. If the system is already running in Brawijaya U, it can be applied in other universities, he added.
The university’s vice rector for planning and cooperation, Prof. Dr. Ir. Moch. Sasmito Djati, M.S., said that Brawijaya would contiue to support development of the halal certification project, which can be applied not only to food and beverages products but also to pharmacy and tourism MSMEs.
University Brawijaya is known as a pioneer in incubating critical aspects of the halal value chain since 1987, he added. At that time, the concept of halal certification originated with the efforts of Dr. Ir. Tri Susanto, a lecturer in Food Technology, Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Agriculture at the University.
Since then, the scientific products developed at the university have become formal archetypes for the Muslim community in Indonesia, creating awareness on the importance of the halal concept and promoting the halal ecosystem, said Prof Sasmito..
Considering Brawijaya’s long history in developing the halal concept and ecosystem, it is perfect to become a beneficiary of the Reverse Linkage Project, for utilizing digital technology to help improve the role of MSMEs in the Indonesian economy, the Prof added.
Reporters: Endang Sukarelawati, Yashinta; Editor: Fardah Assegaf. (c) ANTARA 2021.