Rural Road Infrastructural Challenges: An Impediment to Agricultural Development in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Accessibility to the rural area by road is a key factor in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in pursuance of optimal survival these areas. Various rural development policies instituted in Nigeria to alleviate the condition of rural dwellers and to sustain agricultural development, yet the smooth accessibility desires of several rural areas impaired by poor rural road infrastructure. The resultant effect of this is low agricultural productivity in rural areas and food insecurity. Rural communities in developing countries are mostly disconnected from the major roads and public transport services that should provide them access to the economic and social opportunities in cities. To this end, the research examined how road infrastructural challenges have impeded the development of agriculture in Idanre Local Government Council Areas, Ondo State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was purposively and randomly administered to collect data from a total of 200 farmers across 20 villages in the study area. Analysis of data for the information retrieved from the respondents were carried out with aid of descriptive statistics while stepwise regression examination was done to test the hypothesis. Findings revealed a high cost of transportation and irregular transport services as a result of the poor state of the roads in the study area have hindered effective agricultural development. Results also indicated that motorcycles were the dominant means of transportation in the LGA. This among others resulted in an increasing rate of post-harvest loss because of the restrictive capacity of motorcycle and high cost of transportation. The study recommended the construction and rehabilitation of dilapidated roads infrastructure to enhance agricultural development in the study area.