In the late nineties the Uzurong community successfully applied for the building of a Farm-Road and to date some 19km have been completed  (under the former SEZAP (Second Eastern Zone Agricultural Programme) the current AMEPP agreement), with just 7 km remaining. As per the conditions of the AMEPP agreement, before a Farm-Road is handed over to a community, the said community must commit to complete the routine maintenance on the stretch of road that pertains to them. Routine maintenance activities include things like the clearing of jungle, the filling of potholes and ruts, clearing drainage, reshaping the carriage way, clearing landslides and debris, clearing culverts and structures, and minor maintenance to bio-engineering walls.

Communities confronted with such a list can sometimes be very surprised. Maintenance is no small undertaking; particularly in addition to an already busy day of farming, taking care of animals, cooking, etc. To inculcate a sense of ownership and responsibility towards Farm-Roads has become a challenge of some note for the AMEPP programme. To this end, SNV has introduced a two-day participatory workshop on group formation, aimed at ensuring community empowerment and ownership. The result of the workshop is that for each planned Farm-Road a Farm-Road User Group Committee is formed and an action plan developed by the community, detailing how, when and by whom the maintenance activities will be undertakenRecognising the importance of the Farm-Road to their livelihoods, the Uzorong community has not only actively taken up its role in maintenance, but has also been vigilant in protecting the road. The committee members have developed their own set of rules and bylaws for road protection within the community. Recently the committee members have stopped people illegally logging and quarrying from the catchment area of the Uzorong Farm-Road. Such “road hunters” have been reported and their activities stopped. The Uzorong community is a working best-case example of what happens when a community takes ownership of the infrastructure provided to it. The Farm-Road is in the safest of hands and could have no better "parents". Major achievements of the work to date include:

• The community’s attitude has changed from one of “expecting to be spoon fed” to proudly taking responsibility
• The sustainability of the road is now ensured
• The community commitment is clearly demonstrated and sets an example for others
• The community is united and full cooperation is evident
• Transfer of ownership can be clearly seen.