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Cet» INDEX Page ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 1 Introduction 3 The problems of human settlement and the criteria for assessing their solutions 4 a The setting and solving of human problems in a changing environment 6 a10 Agriculture and the change to horticulture 6 a20 Culture and religion 8 a30 Education 13 a40 Public health 16 a50 Local government 19 b Improvements to the environment in the project area 2 4 b10 Physical aspects 2k b20 The social environment 27 b30 Economic improvements 30 c Overcoming obstacles 36 c10 Obstacles in technical progress 36 c20 Obstacles in participatoin by Gambian private entreprise 37 d Departures from conventional practices 39 e Wider application of the'project strategy k2 f The use of local resources and skills 47 f10 Physical resources 47 f20 Human resources 51 g The project approaches 57 i h Multiple uses h10 Multiple use of infrastructure, equipment and facilities h2Q Multiple use of services i Summary of project links with existing policies and programmes 101 Human needs in the environment of human settlements 102 The role of settlements in national development 103 The structure and quality of the environment of human settlement 104 Special problems in human settlements 105 Managing human settlements 106 International co-operation j Human aspects as part of a comprehensive approach k Development plans and urbanization 1 Housing m Communications and transport ml 0 Communications m20 Transport Recommendations I Organization a Local government b Housing c Environment d Educational and sociological aspects Page II Community facilities 99 a Education 99 b Agriculture 100 c Police and firebrigade 100 d Health 100 e Local government - Municipal facilities 100 ï n 1 f Communication lu COMMENTS ON AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS 102 Introduction 103 a Agriculture 106 General 10 6 Existing conditions 107 b Forestry 108 General 108 Anti-forest pressures 109 Protective measures 109 Improvements 110 c Local government 111 General 111 Existing conditions 111 d Socio-cultural aspects 112 General 112 Existing conditions 113 Negative effects of tourism 113 Positive effects of tourism 114 Relations between proposed Municipalities and the proposed Commission 115 iii Page Recommendations 116 a Agriculture 116 b Forestry 117 c Local government 117 d Socio-cultural aspects 11 7 SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS 11 8 I Introduction 119 a Agriculture (local) 119 b Fishing (local) 121 122 c Urbanization and migration d The national context 1 2k e Anthropological/sociological studies of the tourism industry 125 f Specific advice to the SWECO townplanners and architects 127 Summary of recommendations 1 31 Re local agriculture 1 31 Re labour in the tourism industry 1 32 Re local fishing 1 32 Re general development in the Gambia 1 32 Re sociological studies 1 32 REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION AND ECOLOGY 1 3k a Objective 135 b Introduction 135 c Existing public health facilities 136 d Engineering studies 136 iv ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS i TW DIRK BOLT FRAIA FRAPI Honorary Fellow AILA Physical Planning Coordinator UNDP PHYSICAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT November 1973 The writer of this analysis is solely responsible for the views expressed in it. Copies of the analysis have been submitted to the Office of Technical Co-operation of the United Nations, which may in due course communicate its own assessment and recommendations to Government. INTRODUCTION The Bafuloto Development Project is presented in the form of the physical planning studies which are part of the pre- investment studies for the Gambia Tourism Infrastructure Project, of the Tourism Projects Department of the Interna¬ tional Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The Physical Planning Studies for the Bafuloto Development Project are a part of the Gambia Physical Planning and Development Project of the United Nations Development Programme. The executing agency of the Project is the United Nations Office of Technical Co-operation, advised in substantive matters by the Centre for Housing, Building and Planning. The Centre also advises the Secretariat of the 1976 "Con¬ ference/Exposition on Human Settlements", Vancouver. A meeting in May 1973 identified six themes as the crucial issues to be dealt with in relation to human settlements. In September 1973 the Director of the Centre, Mr. Robert J. Crooks, defined thirteen criteria for the selection of field projects as demonstration projects at the Con¬ ference/Exposition . Within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme the definition of the problems of settlements and the formulation of criteria for the assessment of their solutions is one of considerable historical interest. This report examines the selected criteria and themes as applied to the Bafuloto Development Project. 3 THE PROBLEMS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT AND THE CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING THEIR SOLUTIONS The themes selected for the "1976 Conference/Exposition on Human Settlements", in Vancouver are: theme id est 1 Human needs in the environment 1.1 sociocultural pro¬ of human settlements blems of urbani¬ zation The role of settlements in 2.1 urbanization goals national development 2.2 policies 2.3 strategies 2.4 programmes 3. The structure and quality 3.1 housing of the environment of human 3.2 land use settlements 3.3 transportation 3.4 community infra¬ structure 3.5 other 4. Special problems in human 4.1 squatters settlements 4.2 tourism 4.3 historic preservation Managing human settlements 5.1 legislation 5.2 administration 5.3 financing 5.4 application of new technologies International co-operation 6.1 exchange of information 6.2 co-operation in re¬ search 6.3 training in special skills 4 The criteria for selecting demonstration projects illustra¬ ting the themes are that they: a. offer solutions rather than define problems b. lead to significant improvement in the physical, social or economic environment of settlements c. show how public or private obstacles can be overcome d. represent a successful departure from conventional practices e. be capable of wider application to other countries, broadness of applicability being more important than uniqueness f. demonstrate imaginative and innovative use of local resources and skills g. illustrate novel or traditional approaches, or a combination of both h. demonstrate multiple uses of equipment, facilities of services i. be linked to an existing policy of programme j. emphasize a comprehensive approach and stress the "human" element and the related issues of social welfare and equity k. show how national, regional or local development plans have contributed to the formation of new towns or growth poles, urban renewal, and the settlement of new regions 1. give evidence of the use of efficient and low-cost financial and administrative techniques for providing housing m. illustrate the operation of communications and transport systems, including integrated systems of individual and mass transport. The chapters of this environmental analysis are based on the nominated criteria. Each chapter examines the theme and sub-themes in the light of each criterion. The wording of the criteria and themes has been adapted to the project. 5 The setting and solving of human problems in a changing environment Within the context of the proposed development of Bafuloto there are two sets of problems: the first set is technical and capable of technical solu¬ tion, the second set, affecting the people in the changing environment, is examined here. a10 Agriculture_and_the_change_to_horticulture a11 The people in the project area are of Mandinka origin, engaged in agriculture. Their agrarian life style and orientation is bound to change in view of advancing urba¬ nization, but the agricultural zones in the plan prevent a total loss of ties with the land. It is anticipated that, in time, the static agricultural traditions will give way to new skills in market gardening. Land potentially suited to market gardening has been identified and reserved for that purpose. I The proximity of land also provides a background group- security to the population in case the tourist industry, through international calamity, should fail. a12 The urbanization goals are to reduce the socio-cultural pro¬ I blems which arise from a rapid change of scale and surges in the rate of change. The policy is to establish a minimum level of urban socio-cul- tural and consequent environmental standards, and to question I the desirability of development if it occurs on such a scale or so rapidly that the standards cannot be met. The strategy is to seek enforcement of the standards firstly by limitation of scale through control of land-use, secondly by limitation of rate of change through programming of the I increases in labour demand. There are two consequent programmes, one for physical planning Ml and development, one for the rate of release of development rights. The two programmes are annually reviewed and related. a13 The plan makes the following provisions for the safeguarding and promotion 0f agricultural activities: - land-use zones for agriculture market gardening - access roads from fields to markets - land reservations for strategically located vegetable marketing halls - land reservations for demonstration gardens - river water pumping sites for primery irrigation - alternative access to town water for secondary irrigation. a14 The right of Alkali, or village chiefs, to allocate agri¬ cultural land for occupation is a socio-cultural tradition in The Gambia. The Alkali system is proposed to be retained, but the kunda's, or villages, are to be defined by boundary roads. The kunda land, traditionally "as far as the eye can see" (that is about 3 miles radius) is to be shared by the groups of kunda's defined as Kotu and Brufut. Hence the town lands, Kotubanko and Brufutbanko, will fall under the juris¬ diction of the municipal councils on which the Alkali serve as councillors.