Rural Roads and Agricultural Development in Swaziland

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the importance of managing and maintaining the quality of rural roads to support agricultural and rural development in the Kingdom of Swaziland, to facilitate the distribution of agricultural products and its accessibility to the population. A structured questionnaire survey was used to collect both secondary and primary data sources, to fill the key information gaps through random sampling method. The data collected were tabulated and analysed through Excel programme on the Microsoft programme. The findings revealed that local residents were not exposed to new and dynamic flow of opportunities that can enhance their livelihood by providing them with better access to education, medical facilities and markets through rural roads. The study concluded that rural roads are critical in supporting both rural and agricultural development for improved socio economic conditions of the people.