Rural transport in eastern Amazonia: Limitations, options, and opportunities

In rural Amazonia farmers rely on a variety of conveyances for overland transport ranging from burros through horse-drawn carts and bicycles to motorized carts and trucks. We compared the costs of purchasing and operating these different conveyances and determined how transport mode, road quality, distance to market, and product value affect the profitability of farming in this region. We conclude by suggesting policy changes necessary to both increase the effectiveness of rural transport in regions of Amazonia where colonization has already occurred and slow encroachment into unoccupied areas.