Farm road - Noudou

A road that connects farm fields or farms and farmers, and was established for agricultural purposes such as the transport of people, livestock, and vehicles, and the transportation of produce and materials, but is also open for other purposes. Farm roads include narrow and large ridges between field plots, but generally refer to roads large enough for vehicles to pass through. Recently, farm work has become dominated by large tractors, and large passenger vehicles such as trucks and combines are also used, so farm roads have been improved and expanded under various pretexts in connection with agricultural infrastructure development projects. Roads have been straightened, widened, and most are paved. Wide-area farm roads have been built that run not only within a specific area but also through several cities, towns, and villages, and these often play the role of bypasses for main roads. Farm roads are not just convenient for agricultural work, but also have a significant impact on agricultural management, such as the economic value of cultivated land, and the types and scale of local crops and livestock.

[Hoshikawa Kiyochika]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

圃場(ほじょう)と圃場との間、または圃場と農家の間を連絡している道路で、人畜・車両の交通や、生産物や資材の運搬など農業の目的に利用するために設けられたものであるが、ほかの目的にも開放されている。農道には畑の区画の間のいわゆる細いあぜ道や大あぜも含まれるが、普通は車両が通れるほどの大きい道路をさす。最近は農作業が大型トラクター主体になり、トラック、コンバインなど乗用大型車両も用いるので、農道は農業基盤整備事業とも関連して、いろいろな名目で整備拡充された。道路は直線化し、また、幅は広くなり、ほとんどが舗装された。特定の地域内だけでなくいくつかの市町村を貫く広域農道もつくられ、これらはしばしば交通幹線道路のバイパス的役割をもつようになってきている。農道は単に農作業の便としてだけでなく、それによって耕地の経済的価値、地域の農作物や家畜の種類や規模など、農業経営に大きな影響を及ぼしている。

［星川清親］

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