Kuala lumpur: The successful implementation of the Hijrah Asnaf Chilli Fertigation Farming Programme has prompted the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) to expand the project area from three to five acres for its second season. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan said the programme demonstrated that equipping asnaf (tithe recipients) with modern agricultural skills could create opportunities for them to strengthen their economic capacity and achieve greater self-reliance.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the first harvest yielded over 16.7 tonnes of chillies, generating returns exceeding RM207,000 for the asnaf entrepreneurs. The 10 participating asnaf individuals were equipped not only with fertigation knowledge but also with skills in marketing, finance, and other relevant areas. Dr Zulkifli highlighted this achievement during the harvest ceremony for the MAIWP Asnaf Chilli Fertigation Project, held in collaboration with Agrobank.
Zulkifli noted that the programme also enabled participants to explore downstream activities by creating value-added chilli products with potential for broader markets. The participants have developed market-ready products such as pickled chillies, green sambal, and red sambal, showcasing the skills they have acquired.
The programme, funded through wakalah funds totalling RM848,000, received RM700,400 in financing from Agrobank and RM147,600 from the MAIWP Zakat Collection Centre (PPZ). Continuous technical guidance has been provided by the Agrobank Centre of Excellence (ACE) since September 2025.
Alinda Rosely, a 49-year-old participant, shared that the initiative had been instrumental in helping her rebuild her life as a single mother. She expressed that the fertigation knowledge gained through the programme was invaluable and allowed her to earn RM40,000 within six months when chilli prices were favourable.
MAIWP plans to screen potential asnaf candidates and provide monthly allowances to enable participants to fully commit to the programme without worrying about daily living expenses. This initiative aligns with MAIWP's mission to foster a self-reliant and competitive asnaf community, aiming to transform beneficiaries from zakat recipients (mustahiq) to zakat payers (muzakki).
As of August 12, 2026, MAIWP had distributed RM699.57 million in zakat through 38 welfare assistance schemes, in addition to funding asnaf capacity-building initiatives and education programmes under institutions wholly owned by the council.