BANJARNEGARA, CENTRAL JAVA —-— Dompet Dhuafa Central Java, together with its strategic partner, Jago Syariah, officially launched an Open Top Roller and Rotary Dryer machine to increase the production capacity of local tea “Teh Bedana” in Bedana Village, Kalibening District, Banjarnegara Regency on Thursday (11/27/2025). The event was attended by Hardiyanto Setiawan as the Head of Bedana Village, Riatmojo Ponco Nugroho as the Assistant for Economy and Development of the Banjarnegara Regency Secretary, Jani Sugijarti as a representative of the Central Java Cooperative & UMKM Office, and Zaini Tafrikhan as the Head of the Central Java Dompet Dhuafa Branch.
This launch marks an important milestone for the tea-processing farmer group in Bedana Village, which has relied on manual methods for decades. The invited guests also had the opportunity to witness the new machine’s operation alongside the farmers, signaling the beginning of a more modern, efficient, and competitive production era.
This empowerment program reaffirms Dompet Dhuafa and Jago Syariah’s commitment to promoting food and economic independence for rural communities. The arrival of this production machine is expected to be a “breath of fresh air” for the farmers of Bedana Village, opening up wider market opportunities and strengthening the identity of Bedana Tea as a leading product of Banjarnegara.
The Head of Dompet Dhuafa’s Central Java Branch emphasized that this program is a concrete response based on the results of an assessment of farmers’ needs.
“Alhamdulillah, after the assessment, we found a solution for the farmers of Bedana Village. First, providing knowledge on how to manage tea properly. Second, providing equipment through collaboration with Jago Syariah. This is certainly good news—a machine that simplifies tea production, makes it more efficient, and of course increases their income,” explained Zaini.
One of the farmers and processors of Bedana Tea, Tohir, is a beneficiary who has devoted his life to the world of tea since the early 1990s. For him, the arrival of this machine is not just a tool, but a new opportunity to improve the standard of living of his family and village.
“I have been a tea processor since 1990. I entered the tea industry for the sake of my family. Before this machine, we processed tea manually. Usually, we could only process 5 kg per day. With this 50 kg capacity machine, our production has increased significantly, and this has been very helpful,” said Tohir.
According to him, farmers have often struggled to meet production demands during abundant harvests. With this machine, he hopes that the quality and quantity of Bedana Tea can compete with tea products from other regions.
The farmers also expressed their hope that this new technology will open up wider market opportunities, strengthen the Bedana Tea brand, and increase income so that the younger generation will be interested in returning to tea farming.
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During her visit, Jani Sugijarti, representative of the Central Java Cooperative & MSME Office, emphasized that Bedana Village has great potential for developing local tea.
“We recently held a training session on MSME tea products, and Bedana Village has great potential. The quality is good, and the enthusiasm of the MSMEs is extraordinary. Dompet Dhuafa provided a drying machine to the farmers of Bedana Village and assisted the MSMEs here,” said Jani.
Jani added that the synergy between the government, social institutions, and the community is the key to elevating Banjarnegara’s tea MSMEs to a more professional level.
Through this program, Dompet Dhuafa hopes that farmers’ productivity will increase from a small scale to an MSME scale that is ready to grow, with standardized Bedana Tea quality that is able to penetrate the modern market. Furthermore, this program is expected to give birth to independent farmer groups that are able to manage the production chain to marketing, as well as build a sustainable village economic ecosystem that involves the younger generation of Bedana.
The program also opens opportunities for further partnerships such as training, packaging development, and market access. Collaboration with Jago Syariah serves as a concrete example of how Islamic financial institutions support village-based economic empowerment leveraging local potential. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Ayu Nadia
Editor: Dhika