Promoting Green Pesantrens: UNU Jogja, UGM, and UIN Sunan Kalijaga Host Ecotheology Workshop

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have collaborated with Al-Imdad Islamic Boarding School (Pondok Pesantren) to hold an Agricultural and Livestock Ecotheology Workshop on Friday (17/7).

Held at the Al-Imdad Islamic Boarding School Hall in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta, the event was structured as a Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The agenda was attended by 23 cross-sectoral participants, including kyais (Islamic scholars), santris (students), academics, religious leaders, as well as local agriculture and livestock practitioners.

Exploring Islamic Ecotheology Models in Pesantrens

This workshop is part of a cross-campus collaborative research initiative. It aims to explore and document ecotheological practices within the pesantren environment to serve as a model for managing agriculture and livestock based on Islamic values.

Nur Saudah Al Arifa, a lecturer from the Agribusiness Study Program at UNU Jogja representing the research team, explained that this study does not merely aim to produce academic findings.

"We are striving to document the best practices that have long thrived within the pesantren environment. Through this research, we want to strengthen the collaboration between higher education institutions and the community in developing applicable ecotheology studies," said Nur Saudah.

Representing the Al-Imdad Islamic Boarding School, Ust. Hakim warmly welcomed this strategic collaboration. He emphasized that the pesantren world has long integrated religious education with real-world community empowerment, notably through agricultural and livestock management that preserves the balance between human beings and nature.

Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to Capture Local Wisdom

The interactive discussion was led directly by Dr. Suhadi, the Head of the Research Team who also serves as the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Research, and Community Service at UNU Jogja. All participants actively shared their experiences regarding the relationship between Islamic teachings and environmental sustainability. Key topics discussed included:

• Eco-friendly agricultural land management.
• The utilization of organic waste as natural fertilizer.
• Livestock practices that prioritize animal welfare.
• The culture of mutual cooperation (gotong royong) in maintaining natural resource sustainability.

According to Dr. Suhadi, the FGD method was intentionally chosen so that the research team could fully capture local knowledge directly from the grassroots level.

"The experiences of the kyais, santris, farmers, and livestock breeders are vital sources of knowledge. We will formulate this data into an agricultural and livestock ecotheology model that is highly relevant to sustainable development challenges in Indonesia," explained Dr. Suhadi.

Fostering Economic Independence and Food Security

All feedback and data gathered during this forum will serve as the primary material for drafting the research results. The final output of this collaborative research is expected to generate strategic recommendations to strengthen the role of pesantrens as hubs for education, community empowerment, and pioneers of environmentally conscious agriculture.

Moving forward, the ecotheology model resulting from the collaboration of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, UNU Jogja, UGM, and Al-Imdad Pesantren is projected to be replicated by various Islamic boarding schools and communities across Indonesia. This initiative is expected to support environmental conservation around pesantrens, strengthen local food security, boost agricultural and livestock productivity, and unlock new economic opportunities for the surrounding community. [Intan]