Semarang (BPJPH) --- The halal certification acceleration program that the government continues to intensify does not only make it easier for businesses to obtain halal certificates. Within the framework of strengthening the broad halal ecosystem, this accelerating program has direct positive implications in accelerating inclusion in strengthening halal literacy in society.

"The acceleration of halal certification that we are continuously intensifying has positive implications for accelerating inclusion of halal literacy for society, especially business people." the Secretary of the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Body (BPJPH) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia EA Chuzaemi Abidin said at the 2023 Halal Literacy Festival FGD in Diponegoro University, Semarang, Thursday (22/6/2023).

Chuzaemi gave an example, the free halal certification program or Sehati for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) which is carried out through a self-declare mechanism, in a relatively short time can encourage the active involvement of business actors to play an active role in halal certification.

"For example, the Sehati program with a self-declare mechanism, in a relatively short time was able to provide opportunities for multiple halal product assurance actors and encourage their involvement, range from the assistants for the halal products processes to the business owners themselves with different backgrounds and conditions." he explained.

With this involvement, it is ensured that business actors, especially MSEs, directly carry out an inclusive process to gain understanding regarding halal certification, which is what they really need to be able to carry out the halal certification process properly.

Furthermore, Chuzaemi also said that increasing halal literacy would also encourage business progress, especially in exploiting the wide open potential of the halal product market.

"The potential for the halal product business is enormous. And to be able to take this opportunity, the challenge for business actors is that they must have adequate literacy, understand the market opportunities, carry out such good production, and always ensure that the product is halal." he said.

Previously, the Head of the Department of Islamic Economics and Finance of Bank Indonesia Arief Hartawan stated that the Halal Literacy Festival was expected to encourage increased public understanding of Islamic economics and finance. Including implementing a halal lifestyle that involves millennials.

"Halal literacy as part of encouraging the acceleration of the increase in Indonesia's sharia economic literacy index." Arief said.

"Starting by consuming food and drink that are clearly halal, using sharia banking services, then dressing according to sharia rules so that it has an impact on increasing the use of goods and/or services that comply with sharia principles by the public," continued Arief.

Strengthening halal literacy, he continued, is carried out through strengthening the synergy of Islamic economic literacy with media groups, sharpening Islamic economic literacy material, and expanding the involvement of various parties and communication channels of Islamic economic literacy on various platforms, including digital media and programs/activities that involve various communities.

Also, by expanding cooperation and collaboration with various parties in strengthening the sharia (halal) economic ecosystem, among others, carried out by synergizing programs such as halal areas, halal human resources, and halal traceability with BPJPH, KNEKS and universities.

"The synergy related to the halal ecosystem that we are focusing on this year is halal from the upstream side, thus accelerating the formation of a halal product ecosystem in the next chain if the input side is halal," he added. []