KALIBER 99”: Religious Literacy and Agricultural Empowerment Unite to Foster Interfaith Harmony

Lumajang, Indonesia — In a groundbreaking initiative that blends religious literacy with grassroots economic empowerment, KALIBER 99 (Kawasan Literasi Beragama 99) is transforming the social fabric of Rowokangkung District in East Java, Indonesia. Spearheaded by Mohammad Mas’ud, an Islamic Religious Counselor at the local Office of Religious Affairs, this program is gaining national attention for fostering interfaith harmony in a region once shadowed by social segregation.

Rowokangkung, where 70% of the population are farmers, is home to Muslim and Catholic communities living side by side — often with minimal interaction and lingering prejudice. Recognizing this divide, KALIBER 99 was designed not only to promote moderate religious understanding, but also to bring these communities together through agriculture and collaboration.

The heart of the program lies in its synergy with GERBAS TANI (Gerakan Belanja Sayuran di Lahan Petani), a cross-faith initiative where Muslim and Catholic farmers work collectively to cultivate, harvest, and market their produce. Beyond economic gains, this cooperation has become a living classroom for tolerance, mutual respect, and interdependence.

“KALIBER 99 is not just a literacy program,” says Mas’ud. “It is a peace movement rooted in local wisdom, interfaith dialogue, and inclusive development.”

Among its flagship activities are:

• Moderate Religious Education at community learning centers, integrating Islamic values with food security;

• Interfaith Social Campaigns such as joint charity drives and village clean-ups;

• Youth Empowerment Programs, engaging students from Islamic and Catholic schools in shared cultural and spiritual projects;

• Creative Media Initiatives, including a short film titled “Bilik” that portrays the daily life of interfaith harmony;

• Economic Collaboration, ensuring that farmers from diverse religious backgrounds benefit equally from agricultural enterprises.

The impact has been tangible. Reports show improved social cohesion, increased community participation, and higher economic resilience in participating villages. Local leaders have praised the program as “a replicable model for interreligious peacebuilding across Indonesia and beyond.”

KALIBER 99’s success has earned it a place in the 2025 National Islamic Religious Counselor Awards, positioning it as a benchmark for integrative religious counseling and rural development.

In a world often fractured by religious misunderstanding, KALIBER 99 offers a fresh narrative: that peace can be planted like a seed, cultivated with care, and harvested in the form of trust and unity.

“From the fields of rural Indonesia, a new model of peace grows — rooted in literacy, nurtured by faith, and harvested through cooperation.” (red).

Editor : Redaksi