Role of road infrastructure in the food security of an economy: Case of rural roads in cassava supply in Benin

Abstract

The most cultivated and consumed root crop in rural and peri-urban areas, cassava is an important crop for Benin, economically and nutritionally. Its contribution to food security gives it a strategic position in the policy of combating the phenomenon of “cost of living”. But, despite this relative importance, this crop has experienced in recent years a poor performance marked by the rigidity of its offer. It is in the light of this less than rosy situation that an analytical tool was developed to assess the behavior of its offer. Thus, based on an econometric estimation, using the ordinary least squares method, the results showed that in the short and long terms, the reaction of the cassava supply is primarily conditioned by the development of rural roads, and then, by the price. To this end, in order to effectively ensure food security at the national level, the State must pursue its policy of development and construction of roads, especially those linking agricultural areas to central markets.

Keywords: Cassava, Supply, Price

JEL Classification : C22, L 91, Q11, Q18

Type of paper: empirical research