Page 278 - Ranah Studi Agraria: Penguasaan Tanah dan Hubungan Agraris

Landownership Tenancy, and ...

vincial city of Java. Nevertheless although access to commer-
cial transport differed between villages, households from al-

most all villages have all felt the benefits of the “transport revo-
lution” which swept Java from the mid 1970s, associated with
the improvement especially of secondary and tertiary roads
and the spread of public, Mitsubishi colt transport to villages
throughout the island.
The lowland villages are generally more exposed to ur-
ban contacts, a situation which prevailed at the time of the
baseline survey. Both villages II and III (Lanjan and Gemarang)
are located on major interprovincial highways (although Vil-
lage II, set about one kilometer from the main road, is for the
most part inaccessible by road transport during the wet sea-
son). Village I (Wargabinangun) is less favourable located, vil-
lagers having to travel 4 kilo by bicycle or non foot to connect
with public transport taking goods and people to major urban
centers. Villages IV and V were located on busy, sealed kabu-

paten roads providing easy access to the large kabupaten capi-
tals of Sumedang and Jember respectively.
The other upland villages were less open. Both Ciwangi
and Gunungwangi are close to kecamatan (district) centers
and major transport routes but the short (approximately 3–5
km) gravel and stone connecting roads to the villages are haz-
ardous. Only the occasional truck or jeep is able to enter
Ciwangi, porters having for the most part to carry goods (at Rp
1.000,- - Rp 15.000,- for @ 60–70 kilogram load) as far as 10
kilometers up steep slopes to outlying hamlets; and only the
few colts owned by villagers in Gunungwangi and trucks from
outside the village make infrequent trips carrying goods pas-

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