Kambon-Naakura: Kambon-Naakura, a farming community in the Mion District of Northern Ghana, faces significant challenges due to poor infrastructure. Led by the seasoned farmer and local chief, Kambon Naa, the community cultivates cassava, yam, maize, soybeans, and sorghum. However, despite their hard work, they struggle to transport their produce to markets in Mion, Jimle, Yendi, and Tamale due to a single dilapidated feeder road.
According to Ghana News Agency, Kambon Naa recounted a particularly devastating incident where he lost all his produce in a bushfire. The delay in securing transportation to Tamale because of the poor road condition resulted in the fire destroying everything. He lamented that even when aggregators express interest in purchasing the produce, the bad roads deter them, leading to low offers and deepening poverty.
Neighboring communities, such as Sagbarugu, Chegu Fulanikura, and Adamkura, experience similar or worse conditions, with roads becoming virtually impassable during the rainy season. As of December 2021, Ghana's feeder road network spanned approximately 43,305 kilometers, with only 29.5 percent in good condition, 38 percent fair, and a concerning 32.2 percent in poor condition, as reported by the Department of Feeder Roads.
Feeder roads serve as vital lifelines for rural agriculture, connecting farmers to main road networks. These unpaved, single-lane roads are crucial for transporting inputs and produce, accessing health services, and ensuring children can attend school. Alhaji Yussif Amuda Fuseini, Director of Agricultural Services at the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, emphasized the detrimental impact of poor feeder roads on agricultural production. He noted that they limit access to fertilizers and seeds, reduce farmers' income, and exacerbate food insecurity by causing scarcity and price hikes in urban areas.
The poor condition of roads also leads to increased post-harvest losses, particularly for perishable crops like tomatoes and peppers, due to transportation delays. Mr. Issah Abdul-Hakim, Administrator of the Ghana Soybeans Farmers and Aggregators Association, highlighted that high transport costs make aggregation unprofitable, driving many young people out of the business and worsening unemployment.
Ghana's road network comprises approximately 94,203 kilometers, a significant portion of which are feeder roads. Despite efforts such as the EU-funded Feeder Roads Improvement Programme and recent projects in the Upper West Region, many roads in farming communities remain neglected. In the Central Region, 52 of 121 feeder road projects were abandoned due to delayed government payments, undermining agricultural productivity nationwide.
Food security in Ghana is intricately linked to rural infrastructure. The Ghana Statistical Service's 2022 Household Income and Expenditure Survey revealed that 49.1% of food-insecure individuals reside in rural areas. The 2020 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis estimated that 3.6 million Ghanaians, or 11.7% of the population, are food insecure, with the Northern Region accounting for the highest number of food-insecure individuals.
Addressing these challenges requires urgent and coordinated actions. The government must establish a dedicated road maintenance fund to ensure consistent upgrades and maintenance of feeder roads across rural Ghana. Encouraging private sector investment in road construction and maintenance, implementing a road condition monitoring system, and prioritizing the construction of climate-resilient roads are critical steps forward.
Improving feeder roads is not merely about fixing potholes; it is about strengthening Ghana's agricultural backbone, reducing rural poverty, and enhancing national food security. For farmers like Kambon Naa and other traders, better roads could mean increased profits, dignity, opportunity, and hope for a brighter future.
