Poor infrastructure affecting businesses engaged in the agricultural sector

BY MAXINE KAMUS

The poor state of infrastructure in the country is one of the major factors affecting businesses engaged in smallholder farming and commercial agricultural activities.

Smallholders and private commercial farmers said their level of production of agricultural and livestock products was declining due to the poor quality of roads, bridges and airstrips in the country.

Farmers in places like the Highlands, Mamose and Southern Region said that feeder roads in smallholder blocks are currently in poor condition, presenting difficulties in evacuating crops, especially during the season. rainfall, and discourages farmers from increasing their production.

“Smallholder blocks are located away from major highways and airstrips, all the responsible government needs to do is repair and maintain these infrastructures so that production will increase as it will be easy for smallholders to get out their produce,” the private commercial farming farmers said. noted.

Private farmers in commercial agriculture have said that it is currently very expensive to transport these products from the blocks and plantations to market and it also affects their business to maintain the freshness and quality of the products before they go to market. reach the market.

They said that due to poor infrastructure, it takes almost two to three days for them to reach the market they were supposed to reach in one day, which is also expensive considering the public order issues that they face. their transport is also confronted along the way.