Abstract
Access to transport is essential for agrarian development in isolated rural areas. Over the last 20 years, most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have seen a dramatic change in farm-to-market transport following the introduction and spread of motorcycle taxis. So far, this has been a spontaneous and market-driven phenomenon. What kind of infrastructure development is needed to further support this local revolution in farm transport? Our study uses a technographic frame to describe and assess the socio-economic and technical impact of upgrading inter-village footpaths to render them usable by motorcycle taxis in off-road rural northern Liberia. We gathered pre-intervention baseline data and post-intervention impact data over a three-year period in villages benefitting from the intervention and in control villages. The quantitative data were supplemented with qualitative data gathered prior, during and after the intervention. We found that upgrading rural footpaths to motorcycle taxi-accessible tracks promotes market integration, improves access to education and health facilities, and creates jobs for rural youth, with few negative consequences. Since most motorised transport in deep rural areas takes place by motorcycle taxi in any case, track construction can complement or serve as an alternative to expensive feeder road improvement or construction.
Highlights
IntroductionOver the last 20 years, most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have seen a dramatic change in farm-to-market transport following the intro duction and spread of motorcycle taxis
Access to transport is essential for agrarian development in isolated rural areas
Workers used their own cutlasses and hoes, but Global Communities provided a chainsaw, shovels, wheelbarrows and the iron rods that were used as nails for the bridges
Summary
Over the last 20 years, most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have seen a dramatic change in farm-to-market transport following the intro duction and spread of motorcycle taxis. This has been a spontaneous and market-driven phenomenon. The time and distance of travel to and from remote rural areas on non-existent or poor quality roads reduces demand for and access to goods and services, limits the use of markets, and reduces organisational development, especially the capacity to attract and retain quality staff (Bird et al, 2002). While urban and inter-urban roads serve the high transport demand within and
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