Asep Mardi: Creating Jobs Through Oyster Mushroom Business

By Bina Swadaya, Self-Reliance Development Foundation, Jakarta

Achieving success and growing wealth is no easy matter. In reality, it often entails numerous setbacks before one attains the desired level of success. Asep Mardi Rinaldi’s journey is a testament to this truth. Through his oyster mushroom business, he has not only succeeded in creating employment opportunities in his village, but he has also achieved recognition as the Millennial Farmer Ambassador for the Sukamakmur District of Bogor Regency, West Java province.

Asep’s early efforts in mushroom cultivation were plagued by capital limitations and a lack of expertise, leading to initial failures. However, these initial setbacks did not deter him. A dedicated partner of Bina Swadaya from Sukacepat Village in Sukamakmur District, Bogor Regency, Asep used the potential and opportunities provided by an  oyster mushroom business, ultimately rewriting his story.

Facing repeated failures, Asep stayed committed in his pursuit of mushroom farming. Many underestimated his efforts and dismissed them as futile with a bleak future. Asep recalls, “When I decided to re-enter the mushroom business, I faced skepticism. Many believed my efforts would not succeed.” He shared his story during an online event on March 15 with the theme “Empowering Women Mushroom Farmers.”

Asep’s perseverance is now bearing fruit. Oyster mushrooms have emerged as a promising venture, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. These mushrooms thrive without requiring extensive land, and their demand as a pesticide-free, chemical-free food ingredient has surged.

Presently, Asep oversees three oyster mushroom houses, each capable of producing 10,000 to 13,000 mushrooms. In fact, due to high demand, he often struggles to fill orders, whether it’s for mushroom media or the harvested mushrooms themselves.

Asep has fostered a unique relationship with his employees, changing the traditional employer-employee dynamic. He has provided his workers an opportunity to join him through a mushroom plasma scheme, in line with Bina Swadaya’s ethos of social entrepreneurship. His business is not solely profit-driven; it brings about positive change for the community surrounding it.

In addition to expanding employment opportunities, the oyster mushroom business plays a pivotal role in empowering the local community. The men are involved in building mushroom houses, crafting mushroom media and handling tasks such as stirring, pressing, steaming, and transportation. Meanwhile, the women are involved in tasks like packing mushroom media, attaching media package rings, harvesting, and packaging mushrooms.

Asep notes, “Thanks to the grace of God, I now have five male workers and twelve female workers, all enjoying regular income from the oyster mushroom business.”

With support from Bina Swadaya, Asep Mardi ventured into creating a website to promote various services, including investments, training, and mushroom marketing, under the “Jamur Semar” brand. The website can be accessed at rumahjamurjonggolpintar.business.site.

The Bina Swadaya organization actively encourages investments to stimulate the economic development of Sukadam Village. Asep Mardi’s mushroom plasma business has notably enhanced the financial wellbeing of partnered workers. Furthermore, the management of mushroom houses, housed in temporary structures (balandongan) attached to village houses, is primarily handled by women, especially housewives, and augments their family’s income.

One of Asep Mardi’s female employees, Yuyun, expressed gratitude for her involvement in the oyster mushroom business. Previously employed in factories, Yuyun now has a stable income while managing her household responsibilities. She reflects, “Thanks be to God, thanks to Brother Asep, we housewives have been immensely helped by the oyster mushroom business. It not only provides productive work, but it  also offers opportunities for growth.”

Asep Mardi’s oyster mushroom business model, supported by Bina Swadaya, has extended its reach across various hamlets and villages in Sukamakmur District. The daily accumulated harvest of oyster mushrooms in Sukadam Village alone can reach up to one tonne, enhancing the village’s economic landscape.

This sustainable enterprise has the potential to bolster the local economy, offering new avenues for former laborers to transition into entrepreneurship. The shift from labor to entrepreneurship is a vital step in reducing poverty rates in rural areas, with oyster mushroom farming proving to be an accessible, land-efficient solution.

This article is based on: https://binaswadaya.org/asep-mardi-buka-lapangan-kerja-berkat-bisnis-jamur-tiram/

Asep Mardi Buka Lapangan Kerja Berkat Bisnis Jamur Tiram