Options for Managing and Financing Rural Transport Infrastructure

This paper presents a framework for improving management and financing of local government roads and community roads and paths based on two distinct owner categories and a redefined partnership between the public and private sectors. Local governments or their agents will manage the core rural roads; communities and associations of farmers will choose which roads and paths they own; the private sector will sell management services to the local road agencies and carry out physical works. Ownership of roads by small-scale farmers, the largest private sector group in most Sub-Saharan African countries, will increase efficiency and bring more roads under regular maintenance. This framework will be based on a public-private partnership in which costs are shared by governments, communities, farmers, and road users.