The direct and indirect effects of road quality Improvement: a study of fertilizer use and Potato Yield in Kinangop division, Nyandarua District, Kenya

Abstract

A survey of a number of studies, both empirical and theoretical, indicates a close link between road improvement and agricultural change. Improved roads provide rural people with access to markets, goods and services that are crucial to the development process. Despite this awareness, there is little information on the nature, scope and measurement of this relationship. This study analyzes the direct and indirect effects of the improvement of roads on fertilizer use and potato yield in Kinangop Division, Nyandarua District, Kenya. Kinangop is an agriculturally rich area. The area is characterized by very poor roads. This research was conceived to study what effects road improvement might have on farm productivity in the area. Road improvement was hypothesized to have direct effect on fertilizer use and indirect effect on potato yield. A sample of 168 households, or 1% of the total number of households estimated to be living in Kinangop in 1994 was randomly selected for study. Household and farm related data sets were collected using a structured questionnaire schedule. The data was then subjected to partial and multivariate analyses. Results obtained indicate that the improvement on road quality and increase in market accessibility have significant effect on fertilizer use. Similarly, the use of fertilizer has a strong and significant effect on potato yield. Change in the quality of roads has no significant effect on potato yield. These findings demonstrate that road quality influences potato yield through fertilizer use. Farmers in areas served by high quality roads applied more fertilizer per acre than those in areas served by medium and low quality roads. Changes in average potato yield are linked to fertilizer use. The importance of this study is that it has for the first time attempted to integrate the qualitative and quantitative aspects of roads by combining physical distance with road quality or 'class' into a market accessibility index. Such an approach may have wider application in studying the developmental impact of improving other infrastructure components. Thus, the significance of this study derives from the perception that improving the quality of roads enhances market accessibility. The study demonstrates that the quality of the rural road network has a direct effect on fertilizer use and an indirect effect on potato yield. The results of the study suggest that improving the quality of a road can induce farmers to invest more on fertilizer. As a consequence of this, there will be growth in agricultural productivity, rural incomes and national food security will be safeguarded