A LONG and hilly road must be passed to reach Mengkudu village, Paser regency, East Kalimantan. The road has been asphalted but unfortunately is already potholed. It takes around seven hours to reach this village from Balikpapan, the capital of East Kalimantan.

Mengkudu is a transmigrants’ village. Most of the residents come from areas in Java that are rich in fertile soil. Nevertheless, they have to face the fact that the village they are liv