Physical isolation is a strong contributor to poverty. Populations without reliable access to social and economic facilities are poorer than those with reliable access. Improving and maintaining rural networks at basic access level is one of the requirements for rural poverty alleviation. However, resource needs to achieve basic access for all are immense and resources are scarce. Therefore, cost effective strategies need to be applied to improve access for as many of the rural populations in developing countries as possible. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135448.
Abstract