A geographic perspective of labour-intensive methods in the development and maintenance of transport infrastructure
Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The study investigates the extent of distributional impacts of labour-intensive \nroad projects using a geographical approach. The aim is to evaluate \ninfrastructural effectiveness. The central premise is that the interface between \nroad investment and economic development has broad implications that are \nbeyond transportation’s basic purpose of providing access and mobility. \nCommunities are motivated by the outcomes and impacts of road \ninfrastructure development in improving the productiveness of the economy, \nin line with socio-economic development and other multiplying effects. \nThe objective was to describe the nature and delivery mechanisms of labourintensive \nroad projects, evaluate the impact thereof on the project participants \nand their communities and explore the constraints and challenges \nexperienced by these initiatives. The impact of the Gundo Lashu programme \nwas measured, based on an assessment of programme outputs, outcomes \nand impacts, to determine whether the project had the desired effects on \nindividual participants and their households. A matched control case study \ndesign, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was \nadopted. \nThe study found that the Gundo Lashu programme had achieved the \nexpected outputs in terms of the total number of jobs created, total road \nlength constructed and maintained. However, the communities’ socioeconomic \noutcomes and the impacts of the programme on poverty and \nsustainable livelihoods were mixed. These conclusions re-affirm the notion \nthat the development of rural road infrastructure alone by labour-intensive \nconstruction methods, is not sufficient in tackling poverty. While government is \nfocusing on addressing unemployment and skills development through labourintensive \nroad construction programmes, there is a need to ensure proper \nintegration of government services to make a significant impact. Huge \ndeficiencies exist in the inter-linkages between the programme planning \nprocess and the municipal planning system and that there are a number of \nmanagement and planning, structural and functional, human resources and \n \nfunding barriers to proper planning, implementation and monitoring of projects \nwithin the Gundo Lashu programme. Various challenges and barriers \nemanates from lack of coordination, political interferences and lack of \nstrategic direction. Key recommendations include comprehensive road \nplanning, better project targeting mechanisms, development of guidelines for \nfuture maintenance, skills training and capacity development, and resultsbased \nmonitoring.
Author: Eric Nndavheleseni Musekene
Language: English
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W149128074