Building Roads and Improving Livelihoods in Nepal
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Building roads and improving livelihoods in Nepal External review of the DISTRICT ROADS SUPPORT PROGRAMME (DRSP) Final Report Paul Starkey (Team Leader) Ansu Tumbahangfe (Social and rural development specialist) Shuva Sharma (Rural Transport Infrastructure Specialist) May 2013 Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Embassy of Switzerland, Ekantakuna, Jawalakhel, PO Box 113, Kathmandu, Nepal District Roads Support Programme (DRSP) Manbhawan, PO Box 113, Kathmandu, Nepal www.drspnepal.org The views in this paper are those of the authors and they do not necessarily reflect the views of the District Roads Support Programme (DRSP) or the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) for whom the report was prepared Paul Starkey Team Leader Consultant in Integrated Transport and Rural Livelihoods 64 Northcourt Avenue, Reading RG2 7HQ, UK Tel: +44 118 987 2152 Skype: paulstarkey Email: [email protected] and [email protected] Ansu Tumbahangfe Social and rural development specialist Email: [email protected] Mobile: +977 9851079164 Shuva Sharma Rural Transport Infrastructure Specialist Scott Wilson Nepal Email: [email protected] Mobile: +977 98510 22621 Cover and other photos © Paul Starkey External review of District Roads Support Project: Final Report. May 2013. Page 2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... 4 Executive summary ................................................................................................................. 5 Acronyms and abbreviations ........................................................................................ 8 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 9 2 DRSP structure, activities and achievements: 1999-2013 ............................................. 10 2.1 Development objectives and main focus of the distinct phases ............................. 10 2.2 Operational structure and collaboration framework ................................................ 10 2.3 DRSP Phase one: build-up phase .......................................................................... 12 2.4 DRSP Phase two (April 2002 to July 2006) ............................................................ 13 2.5 DRSP Phase three (July 2006 to July 2010) .......................................................... 13 2.6 DRSP Phase four (July 2010 to July 2013, with extension to 2014) ...................... 14 3 The DRSP road surveyed .............................................................................................. 14 4 Impacts of DRSP roads ................................................................................................. 15 4.1 Access to roads ...................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Access to services .................................................................................................. 16 4.3 Traffic counts and transport services ...................................................................... 17 4.4 Adequacy of transport services .............................................................................. 19 4.5 Impact of roads on rural livelihoods ........................................................................ 20 4.6 Impact on agricultural sub-sector ........................................................................... 21 4.7 Impact on off-farm activities .................................................................................... 21 4.8 Migration and remittances ...................................................................................... 23 4.9 Changes in household incomes ............................................................................. 24 4.10 Changes in household expenses and savings ....................................................... 25 4.11 Changes in living standards ................................................................................... 25 4.12 Gender empowerment ............................................................................................ 26 4.13 Economic impact and benefits ................................................................................ 27 5 Impact of labour-based road construction ..................................................................... 29 5.1 Impact of payments for labour ................................................................................ 29 5.2 Impact at village and community level .................................................................... 31 5.3 District level impact ................................................................................................. 31 5.4 Impact on governance ............................................................................................ 32 5.5 National level impacts in influence ......................................................................... 32 5.6 Impacts through international influences ................................................................ 33 6 Sustainability of DRSP interventions ............................................................................. 33 6.1 Sustainability and durability of road structures ....................................................... 33 6.2 Labour-based construction approach ..................................................................... 34 6.3 Exploration of innovative techniques in rural road surfacing .................................. 34 6.4 Sustainability of maintenance systems ................................................................... 35 6.5 Sustainability of capacity building of stakeholders ................................................. 35 7 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................... 36 7.1 Overall effectiveness of social inclusion approach ................................................. 36 7.2 Rural transport policies in Nepal ............................................................................. 37 7.3 SDC comparative advantages ................................................................................ 39 8 References .................................................................................................................... 40 9 Annex 1: Descriptions of surveyed roads and impacts on proximity ............................. 43 10 Annex 2: Survey methodology ................................................................................... 51 11 Annex 3: Economic analyses of three DRSP roads ................................................... 53 12 Annex 4: Some unforeseen consequences of DRSP road building ........................... 63 13 Annex 5: Summary of DRSP activities and achievements in its four phases ............. 65 14 Annex 6: Summary of DRSP publications and documents ........................................ 73 15 Annex 7: List of some of the stakeholders contacted during the review .................... 76 16 Annex 8: Terms of Reference .................................................................................... 78 External review of District Roads Support Project: Final Report. May 2013. Page 3 Acknowledgements The review team would like to thank all the people who contributed to this report. A number of influential people working for the Government of Nepal, donor agencies and development banks assisted by providing their valuable ideas and observations during the course of meetings held in Kathmandu. Many people also participated in district‐level meetings, providing crucial information and feedback. The largest group of contributors comprised the several thousand people who kindly gave their time to participate in focus group meetings and/or respond to the survey questions. The DRSP team provided exemplary assistance and encouragement in many ways. A high proportion of the members of the DRSP teams in Kathmandu and the districts assisted with information provision, logistics, field visits, supervising the various surveys and arranging focus group discussions. The whole team deserve thanks, with particular appreciation due to Josef Zimmerman (Team Leader), Bishnu Shah (Deputy Team Leader), Chandra Bhujel (Community Development Adviser), Youton Lama (Planning and Monitoring Specialist), Kumar Nepal (Mapping and Computer Officer) and Rajesh Sharma (Senior Engineer). The entire review process was only possible thanks to the clear direction and flexible support provided by the SDC team in Nepal, particularly Jun Hada and Aman Jonchhe. The authors would like to thank Ishwar Shrestha for his work on the economic analyses. The review team would like to acknowledge all these people and thank them for their excellent assistance and support. Paul Starkey, Ansu Tumbahangfe and Shuva Sharma May 2013 External review of District Roads Support Project: Final Report. May 2013. Page 4 Executive summary DRSP and the external review process The Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) commissioned a final review of the impacts of the 13‐year District Roads Support Programme (DRSP). DRSP was established to contribute to better social and economic opportunities for rural people in Nepal through the construction and maintenance of rural roads. Roads were constructed and maintained using labour‐based, environmentally friendly and participatory methods with decentralised systems of organisation. In 1999, DRSP started to assist District