Opposition Leader and Salisbury MP Jesma Paul-Victor is calling for a comprehensive programme to rehabilitate and maintain farm access roads throughout the Salisbury constituency.
She said poor access is affecting agricultural productivity and farmers’ ability to transport produce to market.
During her parliamentary budget response, she described situations in which farmers spend months preparing land and cultivating crops only to face difficulties getting harvested produce out because roads become inaccessible.
According to her, delays are particularly damaging because fruits and vegetables are perishable.
Furthermore, Paul-Victor stated that poor farm access contributes to “lost income, wasted labour, reduced food supplies and missed export opportunities.”
The opposition leader said rehabilitation should go beyond temporary patching following heavy rainfall.
She proposed “proper engineering, effective drainage, slope stabilisation where required, durable surfacing and routine maintenance.”
Paul-Victor is also calling for climate resilience incorporated into the design of agricultural roads to withstand heavier rainfall, flooding and landslides.
She emphasized that improved farm roads should be regarded as an economic investment capable of reducing transportation costs, limiting post-harvest losses and increasing farmers’ income
Meanwhile, the opposition leader raised concerns about farmers being forced to cross a river to reach hundreds of acres of productive agricultural land in her constituency.
Paul-Victor told Parliament that the crossing may be manageable during dry conditions, “but can quickly become dangerous or impassable following moderate or heavy rainfall.”
Moreover, she said a single rainfall event can prevent dozens of farmers from reaching their lands to tend crops, transport fertiliser and plant materials or collect produce ready for market.
In some instances, farmers may have to wait days for the river level to fall, claimed the politician.
She believes that the absence of a proper crossing also creates a serious safety risk, “particularly when farmers attempt to navigate the river while transporting produce, chemicals, tools and equipment.”
Paul-Victor argued that farmers should not have to choose between protecting their livelihoods and risking personal injury simply to access their land.
The Salisbury MP said inadequate access also contributes to agricultural losses, reduced food availability and missed market opportunities.
She urged stronger infrastructure supporting farmers throughout the constituency.
