Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar said they will prioritize the construction of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) in communist-held areas as part of the government’s initiative to fight insurgency.
In a press conference, Dar described the move as a “double-purpose intervention” as it aims to encourage peace and development in the countryside.
The agriculture chief said the department would collaborate with the Department of Public Works and Highway to reduce the construction backlog of around 10,000 kilometers.
“We have about 10,000 kilometers of incomplete road networks.”
“We have about 10,000 kilometers of incomplete road networks, and we will prioritize the construction and rehabilitation of FMRs in communist-infested communities,” the agriculture head said.
The FMRs would give access to and from food production areas, allowing food producers to bring their produce in trading areas and gain maximum profit from their production.
He noted that the move is aligned with the new-thinking approach for agriculture to level-up productivity and income in the agriculture sector.