Jakarta, February 22, 2023 - Despite being comfortable as a civil servant lecturer, Sudirman Daeng Raja's entrepreneurial spirit has never waned. When the pandemic restricted the movement of many, he began his venture as a corn aggregator in 2020. Sudirman purchased corn harvests from farmers in his hometown in Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, and redistributed them.
"I started with the corn fields owned by my family. I wanted their corn to be marketed directly in Makassar without going through a chain of aggregators who often set the prices, leaving only the aggregator to benefit," explained Sudirman.
Starting from the family and neighbors' agricultural produce, the principle of "honesty" he offered to the farmers successfully attracted many others. Sudirman was not hesitant to provide information on the latest corn prices in Makassar when negotiating corn harvests, information that was previously difficult for farmers to obtain due to limited access.
Sudirman also allowed farmers to weigh their produce with their own scales to build trust. "I often encounter farmers who still use stone scales; we allow them, even though we had offered our digital and more accurate scales earlier. This is to make the farmers feel comfortable," Sudirman said.
A Skilled Sailor Born from Calm Waves
Sudirman's business did not always run smoothly. He once borrowed a substantial amount of business capital from a bank for business expansion. However, what he found was disappointment. Hundreds of millions of capital disappeared. His house and vehicle, which were used as collateral, were also at risk.
Without blaming anyone, Sudirman started again from scratch. He went directly to the fields to transact with farmers. "I even buy the sacks [to pack the corn] myself. Because I feel that if I want to be a trader, I have to live like a trader. I can't just wait for results to come from home," he said.
Sudirman's perseverance and strong determination to be an entrepreneur paid off. Now, there are 14 permanent employees who depend on their lives with Rajalia Group. Most of the employees did not finish school, portraying another aspect of incomplete education. "The important thing is that they are honest, and secondly, they can read and write," explained Sudirman.
In addition to the dozens of employees, there are now thousands of corn farmers who have become his business partners scattered across various parts of South Sulawesi. In the future, Rajalia aims to have its own corn drying machine to add value and ensure longevity when shipped to other regions.
Not About Profit, But Dedication
Rajalia has now evolved beyond being just a corn aggregator. The business that started as a small grocery store has expanded into the plantation sector, micro-financing for farmers, and truck rental services. The economic circulation from the Rajalia Group has now become significant. It can absorb an average of 30,000 tons of corn from farmers per year, distributed to various food and animal feed industries.
Considering the success of the business, for Sudirman, it is not just about profit. Rajalia is there to break the long chain of middlemen that makes the purchase price of corn from the hands of farmers too low. Sudirman helps farmers ensure that their harvests are absorbed into the market at a much more reasonable price.
"The farmers don't worry about their family's livelihoods; their children can go to school. This is a matter of dedication. The widespread and mutually felt benefits for many people are what I consider significant, not just what accumulates at Rajalia," Sudirman said.
Sudirman also does not want to stop in South Sulawesi. Eastern parts of Indonesia such as Papua, Maluku, and Nusa Tenggara also hold immense potential for corn farming. Rajalia wants to offer a better corn trading system in these regions, similar to what has been done in Jeneponto and its surroundings.
Enjoying Every Process and Role
Sudirman's life story is about the struggle to break the stone of structural poverty. Sudirman was born and raised in a fairly remote village in Jeneponto. He is the youngest of four siblings, born to parents who worked as farmers. Gardens and rice fields were an integral part of Sudirman's family life. In his environment, education was not a top priority for the local community. However, Sudirman's parents wanted to see their children go to school.
"My parents were willing to endure not improving the house, buying a vehicle, and others just to see their child go to school. So, my parents supported all [their children] to go to school," Sudirman recalled.
Sudirman's small steps were already accustomed to walking more than five kilometers every day just to go to school. There was a large river that Sudirman and his peers had to cross. When it rained and the river rose, he and his friends had to cross the river using a banana stem boat. It was not uncommon for Sudirman to cross by removing his clothes and carrying his bag. The image of elementary and middle school children risking their lives to cross a river, which we see on TV, was a daily reality for Sudirman.
His high school and college years were spent in the city, far from his parents. During his time away from his village, Sudirman developed himself, socialized with many people, actively engaged in organizations, all while diligently pursuing knowledge.
Sudirman believed that education would lift his standard of living. Various limitations did not hinder his ambition to pursue knowledge as high as possible. As a result, Sudirman not only became the first bachelor's degree holder among his own family but also the first in his village. Graduating from the Physics Education program at Makassar State University, an LPDP scholarship allowed Sudirman to continue his Master's studies in Europe at University College Cork, Ireland.
His teaching abilities attracted the attention of education agents in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Offered an attractive teaching position, Sudirman was aware of his responsibility as an LPDP awardee. Sacrificing the tempting offer, he fulfilled his dedication promise and returned to Sulawesi, dedicating himself to the education of the younger generation.
Motivated by education, he became a lecturer at UIN Alauddin Makassar. Although successful with his busy schedule as the boss of Rajalia, he did not neglect his obligations and performance as an academician. Throughout 2021, he even held the title of the most productive lecturer in his teaching institution. Sudirman has at least proven that being a teacher and entrepreneur can work equally well, as long as it is based on the motivation to serve and enjoy every process.
Do Not Limit the Meaning of Dedication
LPDP alumni have a significant social responsibility, and the dedication of LPDP alumni should not be limited by defining it as teaching or bureaucracy. Being a farmer or a trader can also have a broad impact.
Sudirman also mentioned that many LPDP alumni have opened job opportunities in urban areas. Rajalia, which he initiated, tries the opposite by providing opportunities and distributing prosperity to rural communities.
"Becoming a lecturer like me is certainly necessary because our education sector, especially in rural areas, still needs improvement. However, usually, the elitist mindset often infects, so we can heartlessly keep a distance from society. By becoming a trader, a businessman who works with farmers, I can still maintain empathy, all for dedication, all for humanity," he concluded.