A New Standard

Lucas Bolodadi digs 30 centimeters into the ground, looking for a good place to plant his maize. Moments ago, he poured two to three kilograms of homemade fertilizer he calls bokasi into the hole. The ingredients for bokasi are simple; pulverized leaves, livestock manure and water. After just two weeks in an airtight container, the fertilizer is ready to be added.

Because his farm, located in Mata Tiawu Village in Southwest Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, is dry and rocky, however, his task is a taxing one. "Digging the holes takes a lot of time," the 54-year-old farmer said.

November 3, 2015