| Rokiah Mahmud |
THE Brunei Islamic Religious Council (MUIB) via its Asnaf Zakat Empowerment Programme (PROPAZ) has devised various initiatives for the poor and destitute.
One of the initiatives is the Az-Zira’ah Agripreneur programme, which aims to assist Zakat recipients towards self-sufficiency by providing the opportunity to learn farming skills within a 15-month stint at the Brunei Agriculture Research Centre (BARC). The participants are required to train with mentors appointed by the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood in learning the basic concepts of farming using the hydroponic and conventional methods to cultivate green vegetables, corn, chillies and mushrooms. Through the programme along with the added support of various agencies, PROPAZ hopes to address the poverty issue by providing Zakat recipients with training and motivation for self-development.
