FROM ACCELERATION TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION: IMPLEMENTATION GAPS IN HALAL CERTIFICATION POLICY AMONG FOOD AND BEVERAGE MSMEs IN WEST NUSA TENGGARA

Abstract

Halal certification in Indonesia has expanded rapidly, yet certificate growth does not necessarily indicate that policy implementation has become institutionalized. This study examines how regulatory commitments were translated into certification services for food and beverage micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in West Nusa Tenggara, which mechanisms generated the implementation gap, and what governance design is required for sustainable outcomes. A qualitative retrospective case study traced policy developments during 2020-2025 and used field evidence collected in May 2026. Data comprised 35 enterprises (28 certified and 7 uncertified), 17 institutional informants, 2 Islamic financial institutions, and 9 halal product process assistants, supported by non-participant observation, open-ended questionnaires, and document review. The interactive Miles-Huberman-Saldaña model, thematic coding, source triangulation, member checking, and peer discussion were used. Facilitation and the self-declare route accelerated issuance, especially in 2023, but services remained uneven and program-dependent. Five interrelated mechanisms explain the gap: administrative demands disproportionate to firm capacity; unequal information and digital literacy; limited and uneven assistance; dependence on temporary quotas and programs; and weak integration of certification with finance, quality upgrading, and markets. Uncertified firms generally accepted halal objectives but lacked the capacity to navigate the system. The study proposes capacity-responsive halal governance, which segments firms by readiness, institutionalizes end-to-end assistance, allocates assistants by territorial caseload, integrates post-certification support, and measures outcomes beyond certificate counts. A maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah lens shows that success requires credible halal assurance, consumer protection, equitable access, post-certification compliance, and sustainable livelihoods.