Rural Africa is starved of transport services. The transport routes run towards the export enclaves and the coast.

    The political, social and developmental rural transport benefits are discussed. Rural transport will help (i) integrate the country and ease its governance; (ii) widen markets; (iii) induce increased agricultural output, through new technologies, reduced transport costs, etc. The transport cost savings should be passed on to rural firms and producers. The paper warns against their accruing only to middlemen — agricultural parastatals inclusive, thereby stifling the benefits to production. This could happen under some forms of pan‐territorial pricing. Negative aspects of road development, e.g. the substitution of local goods by imports, increased migration and noise, are noted.

    The place and role of project appraisal in rural road planning is acknowledged. The broad‐based development packages approach associated with Integrated Rural Development Projects has, despite its attractions, some pitfalls. It favours well established villages and ignores distribution benefits within villages.

    Project appraisal can be used to justify socially uneconomic transport developments. However, rural road investment projects with immediate negative returns are unlikely to be funded. Given clear priorities, short of elaborate cost/benefit analysis, obvious road investments choices can be made by the local community. Greater public accountability of transport planners and peoples’ participation in determining rural transport needs and priorities is emphasized. Increased rural road maintenance especially through self‐help schemes and increased use of traditional modes of transport, e.g. walking, animal and water transport, is recommended.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Role of transport in rural development in Africa


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Transport Reviews ; 9 , 3 ; 235-253


    Publication date :

    1989-07-01




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    Unknown



    Rural Travel & Transport (RTT) and Economic Development: Problems and Prospects in Rural Africa

    Ali-Nejadfard, F. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999


    Rural Water Transport and Development

    Aka, Kouadio Akou | Transportation Research Record | 2005


    Sustainable Transport System for Rural Development

    Baral, H. / Indian Roads Congress / Permanent International Association of Roads Congresses, Paris | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2001