Cultivating a vision

Born and raised in Kudawewa, Madawachchiya, Chandrika, now 36 years old, relocated to her current home after her marriage 17 years ago. Her husband's work involves managing a school drop service and taking on local hires in Medawachchiya, which constitutes their primary income, sufficient to cover their household expenses. Chandrika supported their diet by growing vegetables such as green chillies and makaral (long beans) in her backyard. Before she began cultivating mushrooms, she did not have an independent income.

In 2021, Chandrika's journey into mushroom cultivation began unexpectedly. "It all started when my husband saw a YouTube video and became interested in growing mushrooms. We wanted to learn more, so we turned to Facebook and found a grower in Mawanella. He helped us get the raw materials and gave us some great advice. That's how we got started with mushroom cultivation as a business," said Chandrika. Seeing a good opportunity in this new venture, they eagerly embraced the challenge, laying the foundation for what they hoped would become a success.

Armed with a video tutorial provided by their newfound mentor, they embarked on their entrepreneurial path with just 500 pots. Sourcing materials from Mawanella and a supportive neighbour, they diligently nurtured their crop, mixing timber dust, rice dust, soy flour, gypsum, magnesium sulfate, and hunu (quicklime-calcium oxide) to create the ideal growing environment. The pots required a minimum of three months to mature before daily harvesting could commence. They constructed a small hut to house their pots, celebrating their first successful harvest and quickly scaling up to 800 pots for subsequent cycles, which they sold at local village markets.

Investing in expansion

As the mushrooms bloomed daily, the couple harvested and sold them continuously for about three months until production started to decline. The lifespan of the pots was approximately five months, necessitating regular replacement. They gradually increased the number of pots, eventually housing extra pots inside their home and constructing a second hut capable of holding 2,500 pots. Their total number of pots soon reached 4,000 with Chandrika's income steadily increasing.

They consistently reinvested their earnings into acquiring more pots. Although both Chandrika and her husband were equally involved in the business, the income was considered hers. They shared the workload, with her husband handling the labour-intensive task of mixing raw materials into a pulp with his feet. After adding water and remixing, the pulp was manually placed into polythene bags. This method allowed them to produce 300 bags a day.

By 2022, about a year and a half after starting their venture, they decided to expand further by advertising their mushroom pots on Facebook. Priced at Rs. 65 each, the pots received positive responses from Kurunegala and surrounding areas. Curious individuals reached out, eager to learn about mushroom cultivation. Chandrika and her husband welcomed them to their setup, offering hands-on training on how to grow mushrooms using the pots. "People saw our Facebook ad and wanted to know how to grow mushrooms," Chandrika explained. "We invited them over to see the process and gave them training on how to use the pots." Inspired by what they saw, many visitors bought the pots and set off to start their own mushroom cultivation journeys.

During this period, Chandrika stood as the sole pioneer of mushroom cultivation in her village. As their business grew, they managed to procure certain raw materials locally - the timber dust, for example, was sourced from a local timber mill. However, materials unavailable locally were still sourced from Mawanella. They streamlined their procurement process by sending product lists to suppliers, who packaged and dispatched items by train or bus upon receiving payment. Utilizing Facebook, they also secured other essential materials at wholesale rates. Over the past two and a half years, they have cultivated a reliable network of suppliers to sustain their operations.

Facing challenges head-on

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil in Sri Lanka, vulnerable communities faced significant hardships. In response, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, supported by the Government of Luxembourg through its Funding Windows kickstarted a project in 2023 to address these challenges. This initiative aimed to break the cycle of poverty by empowering low-income communities to achieve economic self-sufficiency through the ownership and management of the entire farm-to-market cycle of activities.

In March 2023, a Provincial Agri Department official visited Chandrika's premises and recognized her potential. The mushroom growers in Madawachchiya then formed a society comprising about 12 women. Among them, only Chandrika and another woman named Sitara were producing mushroom pots, with Sitara's operation being much smaller and independent compared to Chandrika's.

From hands to bags

In September 2023, the Provincial Agri Department selected Chandrika as a candidate for support from the Funding Windows project. During a meeting at the AG's office, an awareness-raising session conducted by Janathakshan - the local Community Service Organisation connected with the project - highlighted the society's needs, including bagging machines and huts to store the pots. Chandrika was selected to receive a pot bagging machine, which she received in February 2024.

"This machine revolutionized my business," Chandrika noted gratefully. "Before, my husband and I could only make 300 pots in 10 hours. Now, with the machine, I can produce 500-600 pots in just 8 hours. It saves so much time and energy, giving me more time to spend with my children and take care of household tasks." Additionally, her husband, who used to get skin rashes from trampling the raw materials, no longer needed to be involved. Chandrika hired a daily wage worker to assist her, enabling her husband to pursue other work.

Growing a path to success  

The income from their mushroom business increased significantly. They sold 1,500 pots every three months at Rs. 65 each, with plans to raise the price to Rs. 70 soon. Chandrika also began making mushroom packets from the harvested flowers, producing about 3,000 packets every three months. Each 180-gram packet sold at Rs. 110 wholesale, with some sold at the Haritha Suwe Farmers Market for Rs. 140.

Chandrika plans to expand her business further. She is working on constructing a new pot house to accommodate 400 pots and aims to sell mushroom packets at the Vanni Green Market and local shops in Rambawe and other nearby towns. Her ambition is to sell more commercially while other women in the society primarily sell locally.

"I'm also looking to purchase a boiler that will significantly enhance our production process. It can boil 600 pots in just 2.5 hours, compared to our current method, which can only manage 300 pots a day using five barrels," Chandrika added. The boiler will not only double the number of pots boiled daily but also reduce contamination and wastage. The cost of the boiler is Rs. 300,000 and she is determined to invest in it to streamline her operations.

Chandrika's journey from a homemaker to a successful mushroom cultivator is a testament to her resilience and determination. With support from her husband, fellow mushroom growers, the Funding Windows project, and the Provincial Agri Department, she transformed a simple idea into a thriving business. Her story is an inspiration to many women in her community, showcasing the power of innovation, hard work, and support in achieving success.