Some respondents said that they used pekarangan for getting credit or loans from a formal bank or an informal lender. Pekarangan is positioned as a guarantee to obtain access for the bank. In addition, for those who have a main occupation with regular salary, they have an opportunity to obtain credit.
In some cases, the size of pekarangan also implies the social status of the household. The larger the pekarangan area, the more respect and honor will be received. The large pekarangan, particularly with a flat open area, allows conducting some neighborhood activities often. Pekarangan is a symbol of social
status, and provides better access to trading relationships within the villages. In addition, it will increase access to government programs serving village households (Mitchell and Hanstad 2004)
