African Journal of Marketing Management Vol. 3(2), pp. 22-31, February 2011. Available online http://www.academicjournals.org/ajmm ISSN 2141-2421 ©2011 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper The impact of road accessibility of rural villages on recognition of poverty reduction opportunities Edith Kwigizile 1 , Jaffu Chilongola 2 * and John Msuya 3 1 Department of General Studies, Stefano Moshi Memorial University College-Tumaini University, Tanzania. 2 Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Moshi Tanzania. 3 Department of Food Science and Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro Tanzania. Accepted 22 March, 2011 This study was carried out in four villages of Gairo Division, Kilo a district, Morogoro Region-Tanzania. The overall objective of this study was to assess the impact of road accessibility on recognition of poverty reduction opportunities. Questionnaire and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Statistical package for social science (SPSS), version 6.0.1 computer software was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that: Firstly, poverty reduction opportunities listed in the document of the National Poverty Eradication strategy (Tanzania) were relatively more known to rural communities in villages which were more accessible by road than those which were less accessible. Secondly, majority of rural community members recognize land as the main opportunity for poverty reduction. Thirdly, rural community members feel that they were not accessing some of the support provided by the international community for poverty reduction. Fourthly, some development programs were not appropriate for rural situation. Lastly, rural communities especially in interior areas hardly access information. The study recommends that in order to achieve poverty reduction goals, awareness on poverty reduction opportunities should be raised among rural community members, rural roads should be improved; land utilization should be promoted among rural community members. Key words: Poverty, accessibility, rural development, opportunities, infrastructure. INTRODUCTION Tanzania is one of the world‟s poorest countries. Poverty is more prevalent in the rural areas as compared to urban areas as a result of unbalanced rural-urban development associated with the absence of basic physical, economic, social, financial and institutional infrastructure and services (URT, 2000). This prevents the poor from taking effective initiatives towards income generating oppor- tunities and from gaining access to productive assets. In Tanzania, poverty eradication initiatives have been undertaken for a long time under different names such as poverty reduction, poverty alleviation, combating poverty and fighting against poverty (Kayunze, 2001). In trying to maximize success in poverty reduction, the Government of Tanzania has formulated national strategies to address issues of poverty. The strategies include the National *Corresponding author. E-mail: jchilx@yahoo.co.uk. Tel: +255- 272754201. Poverty Eradication Strategy (NPES) United Republic of Tanzania (URT, 1998) and the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (URT, 2005). The NPES has put clear considerable opportunities that community members can take advantage in the imple- mentation of poverty eradication programs (URT, 1998). Poverty has remained a problem particularly in rural areas (Figures 1 and 2). The government of Tanzania has reported disparity in achievement of poverty reduction between the rural and urban area (URT, 2001). The disparity in achievement can be associated with various factors. This study intends to assess the impact of road accessibility on recognition of poverty reduction opportunities in rural villages. Despite abundant resources and opportunities for poverty reduction existing in Tanzania, poverty is still a major problem and so widespread that it cannot be eradicated in the short run (URT, 2000). Recent surveys have revealed that in Tanzania, over fifty percent of the population still live in poverty and about one-tenth of the