ASIST Technical Services
Sustainable labour-based
infrastructure
A paper prepared for presentation at workshops on the
implementation arrangements and concepts on
programmes for poverty eradication in Kenya, with focus
on Suba, Narok, and Isiolo districts.
17th-25th November 1997
International Labour Organisation
Copyright © International Labour Organisation 1997
Sustainable labour-based infrastructure
A paper prepared for presentation at workshops on the implementation arrangements and concepts on programmes for poverty eradication in Kenya, with focus on Suba, Narok, and Isiolo districts.
17th-25th November 1997
1. W
HAT IS LABOUR-
BASED TECHNOLOGY?
The term “labour-based” is used to describe a technology in which labour, supported by light equipment, is used as a cost-effective method of constructing and maintaining infrastructure of a required standard.
The definition thus has three components:
1. Labour, and very often local labour, is the used whenever feasible
2. The construction and maintenance should be cost-effective. That is: using labour-based methods should be cheaper than equipment-based methods. Considering the low wage levels in Suba, Narok, and Isiolo districts, labour-based technologies are likely to be cheaper for most construction and maintenance activities1.
3. The infrastructure should be of the required standard, and not of poor quality. Labour-based technology has successfully been used in many countries, and has been used to construct and maintain feeder roads, tracks and paths, drainage systems, sewerage and sanitation systems, irrigation systems, and houses. In Kenya, however, the experience has concentrated on the development of access roads.
Labour-based technology is very appropriate for participative approaches. Communities can construct and maintain infrastructure themselves, using local labour and resources, with limited technical assistance. By using local labour in construction, skills are created for maintenance.
On the other hand, it must also be realised that labour-based methods are more management intensive than machine based methods.
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2. C
ONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ACCESS ROADSThe Kenyan experience
Kenya has a long history in labour-based roadworks, dating back to 1974. By now, about 12,000 km of rural feeder and access roads have been constructed using labour-based methods. This resulted in the creation of 20,000 man years of rural employment per year, thus contributing highly to rural employment creation and poverty alleviation.
Roadworks2 are implemented by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MOPWH), through District Works Officers and District Roads Engineers. The District Roads Engineers, and most technicians and overseers have been trained in labour-based technology. Communities have also improved their skills in construction and maintenance of rural access roads through participation in this construction process.
Training is provided by Kisii Training Centre (KTC), which falls under the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology (KIHABT), which is the training department of the Ministry. KTC has an international reputation, and organises international training for engineers, technicians and trainers from English-speaking countries all over Sub-Saharan Africa.
The selection of roads to be maintained is taken by the local authority, on the advice of the District Roads Engineer, who should have consulted the District, Divisional, and Locational Development Committees. However, it is unclear how successful this approach is. A newly developed strategy (Roads 2000) tries to further develop local planning for maintenance. In the strategy, all prioritised roads together should form a functioning road network (the so-called “network approach”).
Conclusions
Improving access roads in Suba, Narok, and Isiolo districts are important in further developing the districts. Using local labour and local resources will create local employment and assist in alleviating poverty.
Roadworks in these districts should make use of the existing experiences of the MOPWH, through the District Works Officers, the District Roads Engineers and Kisii Training Centre. In principle, the works should thus not depend purely on self-help initiatives, and labour should be paid (see also next session).
The programme can play a significant role, especially in the following areas: 1. Assist in improving local planning systems, according to the proposed
“network approach” of the Ministry (see above). Any plan should of course be realistic, considering the limited available funds.
2. Promote the use of labour-based roadworks in the districts, in interaction with the MOPWH and donor agencies. For any maintenance plan developed at the local level, funds should be made available.
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3. C
OMMUNITY-
BASED INFRASTRUCTUREWhat is community-based infrastructure?
Various kinds of infrastructure directly benefit the community. These may include hospitals, schools, community houses, water points, latrines, electricity, and roads, paths, and bridges within the boundary of a community3. These kinds of infrastructure can be constructed and maintained by the community, with assistance of the Local Authority.
To construct and maintain community-based infrastructure, the community needs first to be organised. It needs to elect a committee to represent it and to plan and co-ordinate the works. Since construction and maintenance requires funds, this committee should be legally registered and be seen to act as a strong
representative of the community at large. Such a committee is usually registered as a Community Based Organisation (CBO). Through this CBO, the community can prioritise what needs to be done. The Local Authority can help the
community in these activities.
Once the community decides what they want to do, the Local Authority or a donor agency can give a contract to the CBO to construct the infrastructure. Alternatively the CBO may decide to give the construction contract to a small-scale private enterprise.
The community should contribute a part of the cost, depending upon their capacity to pay. Community members may contribute in cash or through labour, or both. In principle, labour should always be paid to prevent “forced labour”, a situation in which the poorer sections of the community ends up providing free labour for the benefit of the whole community. Equally important is to ensure that the community has the capacity to fund sustainable maintenance of the created assets. If it does not, then the infrastructure will gradually fall into disrepair and disuse; in this case it is better not to start constructing such infrastructure at all. One effective way to enable CBOs to gather revenue for maintenance is to develop appropriate by-laws which must then be ratified by the Ministry of Local Government.
The community should be given technical assistance and training in construction and maintenance of infrastructure, as well as in management and financial control.
The Kenyan experience
Unfortunately, communities have hardly been involved in the management of “their” infrastructure in Kenya in a structured manner. The Government has not yet developed a strategy to assist local communities in managing infrastructure on their behalf. However, the Government is to an increasing extent
subcontracting public works, and the time thus seems ripe for such a policy as well.
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Some NGOs and projects have piloted the approach. It will be worthwhile studying their experiences.
Conclusion
The community can take the initiative in creating and maintaining infrastructure that directly benefits them, if the Government enables such initiatives. The Local Authorities can assist them through technical advice and funding.
The programme can assist in developing community-based infrastructure by setting up systems in which the roles of each party (Local Authorities, NGOs, and CBOs) are clearly defined. This requires studying the existing and previous experiences of projects and NGOs.
The programme can support setting up and strengthening: • CBOs to represent the communities
• systems in the Local Authority to support CBOs
• training of staff in local government, NGOs and CBOs in participatory techniques and labour-based technology and management
• training for engineers, technicians, and overseers in working with communities
• policies to promote community-based infrastructure.
The programme can also source funding for pilot projects to test the approach.
4. P
LANNING LOCAL TRANSPORT NEEDSThe Kenya experience
In Kenya, most rural transport takes place by foot and is done mainly by women. On average, women spend more than three hours per day in transport. They collect firewood and water, go to the market, etc. To cater for this transport need, the construction of roads is not sufficient. Indeed, it hardly takes into account that most people do not have access to motorised transport.
Unfortunately, this fact has largely been ignored in Kenya, and infrastructure provision has very strongly concentrated on the construction of access roads. Other infrastructure, such as foot bridges, paths, and bicycle lanes, has hardly been developed.
For a few years now, however, this shortcoming has been realised, and as a result the “National Forum Group for rural transport and development” (NFG) has been established. The group is co-ordinated by the Ministry of Planning, and brings together Government officials, NGOs, and practitioners. Rural transport has also been incorporated into the National Development Plan (1997-2001, page 110/ 111), providing the scope for a structured approach to rural travel and transport issues. In addition, various NGOs have established pilot projects.
local production of donkey carts be promoted? Or should a school, water point, or hospital be built close to the village to alleviate the transport need? One such planning system has been developed by the ILO, and piloted in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and other countries. The system is called “Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning”.
Conclusion
Solving the transport needs in Suba, Narok, and Isiolo districts requires insight in the actual transport needs, through participatory study and planning. The
programme can assist in solving the transport needs by supporting the setting up, together with the NFG, of:
• local studies into transport needs
• participatory planing systems to address rural transport needs (to decide on what interventions are required)
• a pilot project to address transport needs
• training for planners, engineers, technicians and overseers on rural transport and the labour/community based construction and maintenance of
footpaths/bridges and bicycle lanes
• a policy on rural transport, addressing the real needs of the rural population.
5. O
THER LABOUR-
BASED INFRASTRUCTUREOther infrastructure that can be constructed and maintained using local labour includes irrigation systems and environmental protection systems. Various countries have had pilot projects in these fields, indicating a huge potential in these areas. Especially small-scale irrigation systems, managed by farmers, have proven very successful, as well as various afforestation programmes.
A recent ILO study in Kenya (1996) indicated the need to promote labour-based technologies in these areas, since the perceived potential was huge.
Conclusion
The programme can assist in setting up appropriate participatory systems to plan such interventions, and can study possibilities for labour-based technologies in these areas.
6. C
ONCLUSIONResources available
The experience in labour-based roadworks has created resources which are also useful in the construction of other infrastructure. These resources include: • experienced technical staff
• a rural community knowledgeable in labour based roadworks • available training institutions for labour based roadworks.
These resources can be used in studying, promoting and developing the use of labour-based technology in other kinds of infrastructure.
An integrated approach to poverty eradication
Infrastructure is one of the seven components of the programme for poverty eradication in Kenya. It is realised that infrastructure relates to all other components, indicating the need for strong co-ordination between the components at the local level.
To promote integration between the various components, it is essential to first and foremost set up participatory planning systems at the local level. Through participatory planning, activities to eradicate poverty can be prioritised according to local needs, and responsibilities can be defined.
In relation to infrastructure, the need for access roads, village paths, bicycle lanes, community-based infrastructure and other kinds of infrastructure should thus be prioritised according to the local needs. The responsibility of the local authorities (including District Works Officers), CBOs, NGOs and other parties can be defined in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. This responsibility depends very much on the kind of infrastructure, as discussed in this paper.
