Darwis Pesantren-Based Free Nutritious Meal Program and Local Economic Empowerment: An Islamic Economic Perspective
Keywords:
Pesantren-Based Free Nutritious Meal Program, Islamic Economics, Local Economic Empowerment, Governance, Community Empowerment
Abstract
Pesantren-based Free Nutritious Meal Programs (MBG) have not been widely examined as mechanisms for local economic empowerment within the framework of Islamic Economics, particularly in terms of governance, management, supply chains, stakeholder involvement, and empowerment mechanisms. This study aims to analyze how pesantren-based MBG programs contribute to strengthening local economic empowerment through Islamic economic principles and institutional management practices. This study employed a qualitative method using a case study approach at pesantren implementing MBG programs involving local communities and micro-enterprises. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation involving pesantren administrators, local MSMEs, food suppliers, workers, and surrounding communities. The data were analyzed interactively through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing to identify governance patterns, supply chain systems, stakeholder collaboration, and community empowerment mechanisms within the MBG ecosystem. The findings reveal that pesantren-based MBG programs create local economic circulation through the involvement of local suppliers, MSMEs, and community labor within the food procurement and distribution process. Furthermore, governance practices based on Islamic values such as justice, trustworthiness, cooperation, and public benefit strengthen institutional sustainability and expand the socio-economic impact of the program on surrounding communities. This study concludes that pesantren-based MBG programs function not only as nutritional support initiatives but also as strategic instruments for community economic empowerment within the framework of Islamic economics. The study contributes to the development of community-based Islamic economic models by positioning pesantren as strategic institutions in promoting inclusive and sustainable local economic development.
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Zaki, R. M., Kheir El Din, A., & Elseidi, R. I. (2023). Islamic apparel brand personality model. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 14(2), 484-503.
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Alam Choudhury, M., & Nurul Alam, M. (2013). Corporate governance in Islamic perspective. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 6(3), 180-199.
Assefa, E. A. (2025). From nutrition to education: the contributions of school feeding programs on the UN 2030 Agenda and AU 2063 goals. British Food Journal, 1-18.
Berti, G., & Mulligan, C. (2016). Competitiveness of small farms and innovative food supply chains: The role of food hubs in creating sustainable regional and local food systems. Sustainability, 8(7), 616. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/su8070616
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.
Creswell_Poth. (2018). Philosophical Assumptions and Interpretive Frameworks. https://engagementscholarship.org/upload/eesw/2022/2-7%20Creswell%20_%20Poth%20%282018%29%20Philosophical%20Assumptions%20and%20Interpretive%20Frameworks.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Deller, S. C., Lamie, D., & Stickel, M. (2017). Local foods systems and community economic development. Community Development, 48(5), 612-638.
Di Napoli, I., Dolce, P., & Arcidiacono, C. (2019). Community trust: A social indicator related to community engagement. Social Indicators Research, 145(2), 551-579.
Dyen, M., & Sirieix, L. (2016). How does a local initiative contribute to social inclusion and promote sustainable food practices? Focus on the example of social cooking workshops. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 40(6), 685-694.
Ensor, J. E., Park, S. E., Attwood, S., Kaminski, A. M., & Johnson, J. E. (2018). Can community-based adaptation increase resilience? Climate and Development, 10(2), 134-151.
Esteves, A. M., Genus, A., Henfrey, T., Penha‐Lopes, G., & East, M. (2021). Sustainable entrepreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals: Community‐led initiatives, the social solidarity economy and commons ecologies. Business strategy and the environment, 30(3), 1423-1435. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2706Digital
Forrestal, S., Potamites, E., Guthrie, J., & Paxton, N. (2021). Associations among food security, school meal participation, and students’ diet quality in the first school nutrition and meal cost study. Nutrients, 13(2), 307. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020307
Hakim, L., Zikrifah, A., Melati, T. R., Tresnawati, D., Karti, K., & Kresnapatty, D. (2025). The Role of Pesantren in Economic Empowerment of the Ummah: A Qualitative Descriptive Study in Indonesia. El-kahfi| Journal of Islamic Economics, 6(01), 108-120.
Hudaefi, F. A., & Heryani, N. (2019). The practice of local economic development and Maqāṣid al-Sharī ‘ah: Evidence from a Pesantren in West Java, Indonesia. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 12(5), 625-642. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-08-2018-0279
Ilfi, R. (2026). Empowering economic independence through Pesantren initiatives. In Towards Resilient Societies: The Synergy of Religion, Education, Health, Science, and Technology (pp. 540-544). CRC Press.
Kader, H. (2021). Human well-being, morality and the economy: an Islamic perspective. Islamic Economic Studies, 28(2), 102-123.
Kamal, I. (2025). Islamic finance and welfare economics: Normative Islamic welfare state versus positive Islamic finance mechanisms. Qualitative Research in Financial Markets. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/QRFM-03-2025-0092
Latifah, L. (2017). Hubungan Dukungan Keluarga Dengan Kecemasan Ibu Hamil Primigravida Trimester Iii Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Pandian, Sumenep: Relationships Between Family Support With Anxiety Of Pregnant Women Primigravida Trimester III In Puskesmas Pandian, Sumenep. Jurnal Ilmiah Kebidanan (Scientific Journal of Midwifery), 3(1), 1-10.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1988). Criteria for Assessing Naturalistic Inquiries as Reports.
Lu, H., & Carter, A. (2023). Emergent regional collaborative governance in rural local food systems development. Community Development, 54(2), 228-256.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis. sage.
Muiz, A., Aini, S. Q., & Noh, M. S. B. M. (2025). Advancing Sustainable Economic Empowerment in Pesantren by Community-Based Development Theory. Iqtishoduna J. Ekon. Islam, 14(1), 357-368.
Nasional, B. G. (2026). Daftar Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) yang telah operasional. https://www.bgn.go.id/operasional-sppg/?search=pamekasan
Palmioli, L., Grando, S., Di Iacovo, F., Fastelli, L., Galli, F., Prosperi, P., Rovai, M., & Brunori, G. (2020). Small farms’ strategies between self-provision and socio-economic integration: Effects on food system capacity to provide food and nutrition security. Local Environment, 25(1), 43-56. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2019.1697869
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. (No Title).
Qizam, I., Berakon, I., & Ali, H. (2025). The role of halal value chain, Sharia financial inclusion, and digital economy in socio-economic transformation: a study of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 16(3), 810-840.
Raza, A., Murad, H. S., & Zakar, M. Z. (2016). Contextualizing poverty and culture; towards a social economy of community centered knowledge based development. International Journal of Social Economics, 43(5), 486-501.
Rohmah, N., Husniyah, F., & Latif, A. A. (2025). The Dual Nature of Pesantren: Navigating the Power of Religious Leadership in Economic Transformation. Idarah (Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kependidikan), 9(1), 35-54.
Shogole, M. P. (2025). Stakeholder engagement and governance issues in applying green principles to the biogas sector. In Innovations in the Global Biogas industry (pp. 495-509). Elsevier.
Sugiyono, S. (2013). Meto Penelitian Kualitatif Kuantitatif dan R&D. Alfabeta. In.
Tay, M.-J., Ng, T.-H., & Lim, Y.-S. (2024). Fostering sustainable agriculture: An exploration of localised food systems through community supported agriculture. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 22, 100385.
White, S. (2017). Regulating for local content: Limitations of legal and regulatory instruments in promoting small scale suppliers in extractive industries in developing economies. The Extractive Industries and Society, 4(2), 260-266.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications. In: Sage Thousand Oaks, CA.
Zafar, M. B., & Jafar, A. (2026). Waqf over a century: innovation and tradition in shaping social equity and sustainable development. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 46(3-4), 448-472.
Zaki, R. M., Kheir El Din, A., & Elseidi, R. I. (2023). Islamic apparel brand personality model. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 14(2), 484-503.
Zauro, N. A., Saad, R. A. J., Ahmi, A., & Mohd Hussin, M. Y. (2020). Integration of Waqf towards enhancing financial inclusion and socio-economic justice in Nigeria. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 36(4), 491-505.
Published
2026-06-11
How to Cite
Darwis, D., Akh. Fawaid, & Hasbullah. (2026). Darwis Pesantren-Based Free Nutritious Meal Program and Local Economic Empowerment: An Islamic Economic Perspective. International Journal of Economics, Business and Innovation Research, 5(04), 784-798. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijebir.v5i04.3613
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