A total of 2,550 kilometre feeder road network is set to be constructed in 2017 under the framework of feeder roads project across the country. The roads will be constructed under the Second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2), according to Octave Semwaga, the Director General of Planning at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources. The Euro 40 million project is sponsored by the European Union (EU), the World Bank and the Netherlands. So far, 945 kilometres of feeder roads have been constructed since the begining of fiscal year 2013/14. Semwaga said the feeder roads would facilitate farmers. “Our aim is to eradicate poverty. Those roads have a big role to play. They help people transport their produce from marshlands to the market,” he said. He made the remarks last week in Huye District, during a joint field assessment of the 2014/15 feeder road construction works. The feeder road programme is implemented through various stakeholders. The assessment revealed that 40.4248 kilometres were upgraded during the fiscal year 2014/2015. Semwaga noted that there is need for improvement of the roads maintenance system. He said people have suggested setting up committees for infrastructure maintenance. Josephine Mupenzi, the president of UCORIHU, a Union of Rice Farmers’ Cooperatives in Huye District, said the feeder roads facilitate movement of famers’ produce. “Previously, we harvested produce and kept it home because there were no stores and roads. But now those having bicycles, wheelbarrows have ways to transport their produce to stores.”
