The Effects of Road Access on Income Generation. Evidence from An Integrated Conservation and Development Project in Cameroon

Stefan Schwarze,Denis Kupsch,Matthias Waltert,Ina-Kathrin Spey,Kadiri Serge Bobo

doi:10.3390/su11123368

Abstract

Many integrated conservation and development projects use road construction to induce a shift in income activities, since road access can reduce both poverty and environmental degradation. There is, however, little empirical evidence on the effects of road access on income patterns. We contribute to existing literature by analyzing the effects of road access on income activity choice in Korup National Park, Cameroon using a difference-in-difference approach. Road access led to a rise in total household income by 38% due to higher household participation in self-employment and wage labor. We neither found an effect on income from crop farming nor on participation in hunting activities. The effects of road access can be diverse and unforeseeable. Road construction in protected areas should thus be carefully considered and planned and only be implemented when other options are not feasible.

Highlights

In accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the need for infrastructure in developing regions and its positive effect on poverty reduction has been widely accepted [1,2,3]
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We found that total household income increased due to improved road access, which is in line with previous studies [1,2,3,4]

Summary

Introduction

In accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the need for infrastructure in developing regions and its positive effect on poverty reduction has been widely accepted [1,2,3]. Studies have focused on highlighting these positive effects of road access on poverty alleviation and livelihoods by reducing travel time and costs, as well as creating job opportunities and establishing better access to local markets, which in turn increase agricultural production and household income [1,2,3,5,6,7,8]. Local communities profit from employment during construction and better access to public services, like hospitals and schools [4]. Others found hunting effort to be a negative function of farming effort and likely to decline if agricultural production increases [11,12]. Improving road access may serve as a key instrument in ICDPs, since it fosters agricultural production and in turn combats both poverty and wildlife decline. Information on the effects of road access on income activity patterns as well as the effectiveness of ICDPs in general remains limited [15]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion