Completing the writings on bioeconomy at
Go Biomass, Go Bioeconomy!, the short article below try to sharpen and provide various rules or guidelines and motivations for together to catch bioeconomy opportunities in shari'a concept by using the guidance of the Qur'an and Hadith. If in the era of fossil based economy, the oil-rich countries (petro dollars) become prosperous countries with abundant wealth, then in the next era of bioeconomy opportunities to switch to countries that have the most biomass wealth. The biomass of plants and animals will live and flourish well in countries with plenty of water and sun, so these are the best places in the future of bioeconomy. Key points that need to be considered, understood and managed properly include business, economics, agriculture, forestry, livestock, fisheries, food, energy, industry, biochemicals and biomaterials.
Europe launches
bioeconomy by 2030. In the energy sector, renewable energy use in RED I
(Renewable Energy Directive) with 20-20-20 target is 20% increase in energy
efficiency, then renewable energy usage reach 20% by 2020, will soon end and the
proposed RED II proposed use of renewable energy to 27% by 2030. The share of
renewable energy in Europe both in RED I and RED II biomass holds a share of
about 70% of it. North
American countries such as the United States and Canada also launched massive
renewable energy, such as the US Department of Energy and Agriculture to
produce a dry biomass production of at least 1 billion tonnes by 2040. While in
Canada a number of states have even closed coal-fired steam power plants and
gas, and then using renewable energy, especially biomass. Alberta
City in Canada proclaims the cessation of all coal and natural gas combustion
by 2030. While in Asia, two countries in North Asia namely Japan and South
Korea have launched massive renewable energy usage since 2012. Other Asian
countries have also launched programs use
of renewable energy, such as Indonesia on its National Energy Policy, Malaysia
with the National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan, Thailand with theAlternative Energy Development Plan.
What kind of
bio-economy we
will do
? What
is the difference with bioeconomy applied in the W
est and other parts of the world? Why do we choose the bioeconomy?
Bioeconomy
with the basis of Al Qur'an and Hadith that is, bioeconomy that we will do
. Not
like in the W
est where is
still confuse
where food
crops and which for energy? Confused
which grain crop for human food and where to feed cattle? Grasses
for example are obvious for animal feed, but grains can be for animal feed and
more for human food. Fruits
are generally for human food, but can also be in less amount for energy. Woods are mostly for energy. With
a clear division of food, feed, and energy,
we should not experience food crises caused by
food being used for energy such as Mexico's tortilla melee, as well as the
scarcity of soybeans due to China's sucking up of world soybean production to
feed its livestock. Based
on the mention of the verses of the Qur'an about food, fodder
and energy, it will produce portions such
as graph illustration below. There
are at least 7 verses in the Qur'an that talk about food, 6 verses about the fodder
and 2 verses about energy. The
majority of crops for human food, then in almost the same amount for livestock
feed and in smaller amounts for energy. Applications
and explanations can be more detailed here and here.
Food, energy and
water security must be done simultaneously. And the important
thing is this is our duty as Muslims. If we do not take this role, it is
certain that the role will be taken by others. If that happens so stronger economic, political and
other interests will dominate than to preserve life itself. Moreover Allah Almighty reminds us not to
leave the weak generation (QS 4: 9), the duty to prosper the earth (QS 11:61)
and to maintain the balance in nature (Surah 55: 8-9). As for carrying out the
task Allah Almighty gives us instructions and explanations (QS 2: 185), in
order to answer all the problems and challenges of our times (QS 16:89) -even Allah will also teach the knowledge we do not
yet know, if we increase our
piety (QS 2: 282).
With such a series of highly detailed guidelines, it is conceivable that the matters of maintaining food, energy and water security are managed by people who do not use His instructions. They will easily exploit human food needs, take over the springs that are supposed to share interests and control the world's energy supply for the economic interests of a few people. This is a big and heavy problem, but if we leave it to others as we experience in these days, we experience a three-dimensional crisis at once, namely food, water and energy. So heavy as anything, we must begin to learn to bear it.
Thus it is easy
to understand why the Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam reminds these people to syirkah
(economic cooperation) in three ways: "The Muslims are syirkah in three ways, in terms of pasture (land),
water and fire (energy) ". (HR.Sunan Abu Daud). The three things out there are called FEW (Food, Energy,
Water), and become a seizure and even a reason for war, while in the Islamic
world could even be the starting point to united.
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| Photo taken from here |
Long before the modern world introduced the concept of bioeconomy, Muslims had for more than 1000 years prospered prospering the earth in most parts of the world, ie from the time in Andalusia and then continued by Ottoman Turkey - And only ended when Napoleon colonialist entered Egypt in the early 19th century. Then the Chinese Academy of Science held a workshop in Beijing some time ago, titled Workshop on Agriculture Culture and Sustainable Development in Asia with speaker Andrew M Watson, professor of Economic History from the University of Toronto-Canada. The professor is very much understood of the history of Islamic agriculture, since more than 30 years ago published the book "Agricultural Innovation in the Early Islamic World, The Diffusion of Crops and Farming Techniques, 700-1100" (Cambridge University Press, New York 1983).
The professor
also admitted that in the very long span of time, it is Islamic agriculture
that is advanced. He notes, for example, in the days before Islam, the
agriculture of the Romans, Byzantines and so on, is still very simple. At best
the land is only used once a year, and more often only once in two years. High tax
of lands in the Roman region at that
time also made it more difficult for agricultural activities. Even all the cool
terms that are now loved by many modern farmers such as permaculture, organic
farming, natural farming, sustainable agriculture and so on are actually only a
small part of Islamic Agriculture covering a very wide aspect of the world of
agriculture. So at the turn of the fossil-based economy toward the bio-based
economy or bioeconomy this is the Moslem back victorious. Insha Allah.
