Rural-Urban Road Transportation Challenges on Food Security in Maroua, Far North Region of Cameroon

Abstract

Rural-urban road transportation is very essential for mobility in most parts of the world. Its states, especially in developing countries, have posed serious challenges to the transportation of people and goods into urban centres with varying impacts. This study seeks to examine the challenges in rural-urban road transportation and coping mechanisms for food security in Maroua municipality. In order to attain these objectives, data was collected from primary sources including field observation, interviews and administration of 261 questionnaires. Secondary data was gotten from published and unpublished sources. Descriptive analysis of the results was done using SPSS version 20 and Microsoft Excel 2013. Results revealed that rural-urban roads in Maroua are dilapidated and inadequate, making movement difficult especially during the rainy season. These challenges negatively affect different dimensions of food security in Maroua. Adaptation mechanisms include urban agriculture and the rehabilitation of rural-urban road transport infrastructure. Thus, it was concluded that, there is urgent need for improvement of rural-urban road transport infrastructure by stakeholders as they remain very essential for food security.