President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was thinking about management overhaul when he appointed National Awakening Party politician and former businessman Eko Putro Sandjojo as the villages, disadvantaged regions and transmigration minister in 2016. The former CEO of publicly listed agribusiness firm PT Siread Produce later did just what he was tasked to do: Reform the ministry and transform villages across the country. Since 2014, the government has allocated a total of Rp 187 trillion for 73,670 villages to empower and kick-start economic activities in each of the country’s smallest administrative units. While there is much room for improvement, he shared with The Jakarta Post’s Nezar Patria, Damar Harsanto, Adisti Sukma Sawitri and Gemma Holliani Cahya what the government has achieved and beyond. Here are some excerpts from the interview:   ...