Economic Opportunity Mailing List Archive

["jeff turner" <<address removed>>]

Dear colleagues,

I am Jeff Turner from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in the UK and 
I would like to comment on access to markets and highlight the importance of 
including considerations of transport infrastructure and services in any 
discussions on agricultural development and poverty reduction.

TRL has a history over many decades of undertaking DfiD-sponsored research 
on the link between transport and agricultural development. It is clear from 
this, that transport plays a key role in providing a facilitative 
environment for agricultural development.  For example, numerous studies 
have identified the critical contribution of transport to the efficient 
functioning of agricultural marketing systems.  Likewise, efficient 
transport systems are crucial for the development of rural non-farm 
employment and industrial development, which will ultimately benefit the 
poor.  In this context, transport investment spans a wide area, ranging from 
port infrastructure for commodity exports/imports, to roads and tracks, and 
efficient use of vehicles.

However, transport development for the support of agricultural output is not 
only about public investment in infrastructure but also about the 
development of (often commercially-provided)transport services in order to 
access markets. It is all very well providing improved infrastructure if no 
vehicles or services pass along for farmers and others to use. What the 
'middlemen' and 'collectors' mentioned in earlier submissions often do is 
provide transport services such as bicycles and trucks that farmers and 
rural communities cannot access or organise themselves, without significant 
amounts of resources and effort.

It may therefore be useful for DfiD and other organisations to think about 
ways to support and encourage the development of rural transport services 
(for supply and distribution), and local farm transport needs as part of the 
development of cross-sectoral understanding of agricultural and its role in 
poverty reduction. It is interesting to note, from DfID-funded research I 
have been involved in Uganda, the impact that mobile phone communication can 
have on some larger farmers being able to organise their own transport 
provision from a neighbouring town without them personally travelling to 
arrange for a vehicle to collect their produce. Previously, they were unable 
to secure such transport this and would instead wait for middlemen to appear 
with transport in order to sell their harvest.

In highlighting the supporting role of transport for agricultural 
development, it is also apparent that transport development issues may be 
wider than those of a simple technical nature (e.g. appropriate vehicles, or 
standards of design for feeder roads). Issues such as sustainability, good 
governance, and institution building are increasingly recognised by 
transport practitioners and researchers as being key to the future 
development of the sector. But these issues need to be addressed on a 
cross-sectoral basis. There is thus the potential for rural transport 
institutions and capacity to be developed in harmony with agricultural 
institutions and needs.

I welcome others' thought and contributions.

Cheers

Jeff Turner
International Division
Transport Research Laboratory
UK


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