The Effects of Road Access on Income Generation. Evidence from An Integrated Conservation and Development Project in Cameroon

Abstract

Many integrated conservation and development projects use road construction to induce a shift in income activities, since road access can reduce both poverty and environmental degradation. There is, however, little empirical evidence on the effects of road access on income patterns. We contribute to existing literature by analyzing the effects of road access on income activity choice in Korup National Park, Cameroon using a difference-in-difference approach. Road access led to a rise in total household income by 38% due to higher household participation in self-employment and wage labor. We neither found an effect on income from crop farming nor on participation in hunting activities. The effects of road access can be diverse and unforeseeable. Road construction in protected areas should thus be carefully considered and planned and only be implemented when other options are not feasible.

Poverty distribution of different types of forest-related communities: Case study in Wan Abdul Rachman Forest Park and mangrove forest in Sidodadi Village, Lampung Province, Indonesia

“…Sidodadi had good infrastructure and services (Table 7). Road access provides new opportunities for increasing income and rural development (Spey et al 2019). Good access to goods and outreach to the market could meet both the needs of public consumption and marketing of agricultural and fishery products.…”

Integrated Natural Resource and Conservation Development Project: A Review of Success Factors From a Systems Perspective

“…Despite individuals in previously higher-income households noticing an increase in household income, anyone in below-median-income households did not experience any increase (Spey et al 2019). While the latter households had road access, they did not have the skills needed for starting and maintaining a business along the road or for agriculture (Spey et al 2019.). Despite the efforts made, most of the community members were unable to benefit from the opportunities provided by access to a marketplace, relating back to the need for proper implementation methods and a strong focus on social benefits.…”

“…An ICDP project at the Korup National Park in Cameroon during 2015-16 aimed at a road construction to provide the farming and produce community with easier access to markets --with agriculture becoming an alternate source of income to poaching (Spey et al 2019). Despite individuals in previously higher-income households noticing an increase in household income, anyone in below-median-income households did not experience any increase (Spey et al 2019). While the latter households had road access, they did not have the skills needed for starting and maintaining a business along the road or for agriculture (Spey et al 2019.).…”

Rural Transportation Infrastructure in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of Impacts, Implications, and Interventions

“…Yet, there are underlying mechanisms that pull these sectors together [30], and because rural transportation infrastructure is not randomly allocated, the direction of causality between transport infrastructure and economic growth is debated [11]. There are overarchingly positive trends within the links among rural roads, agriculture, and poverty [31], yet recent review papers and additional literature concur to suggest that impacts can be both complex and diverse [7,32,33].…”