[sustran] Improving mobility for the rural poor

priyanthi.fernando at ifrtd.org priyanthi.fernando at ifrtd.org
Fri Apr 12 22:58:35 JST 2002


Improving mobility for the rural poor: achieving sustainable
motorised and non-motorised rural transport

First announcement of a workshop to be held 
17-20 June 2002 in Pilani (Rajasthan), India

THE CHALLENGE OF INADEQUATE RURAL TRANSPORT
Eliminating poverty requires reducing isolation and social
exclusion. It means improving mobility and access so that poor
women, men and children can build their assets, reduce their
vulnerability and develop sustainable livelihoods. Transport
investment has concentrated on infrastructure, neglecting
transport services. Using conventional economic investment
criteria, efforts have focused on maximising the efficiency of
transport systems in areas with relatively high density of
demand for transport. These are usually areas with medium to
high populations, irrigated or cash crop agriculture,
efficient markets and non-agricultural employment.

A large percentage of the world's poor, however, continues to
live in more marginal lands, often in dispersed settlements,
with economies based on traditional agriculture or herding,
with little access to alternative employment or to developed
markets.  Population density in these areas is low, rural
infrastructure is poor, cash flows are seasonal and transport
is generally arduous and time-consuming. Motor transport is
barely viable due to high costs and low economic demand and
there is little diversity in means of transport. 'Low density'
areas such as these are found in much of rural Africa and in
remoter areas of Latin America and Asia.

In areas of low transport availably, poor people's inability
to easily access their daily needs (water, fuel, food and
housing) and services (education, health), to reach markets,
gain income or participate in social and political activity
constrains their efforts to develop sustainable livelihoods.
It contributes to their vulnerability and locks them into a
vicious circle of poverty and transport deprivation. Low
mobility restricts income generation and economic demand; low
demand constrains the provision of cheap transport and the use
of intermediate means of transport. This circle must be
broken, and changed to a virtuous spiral of greater mobility
stimulating more productive activities and diverse,
sustainable transport services.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE
An integrated approach is needed, with investment in transport
infrastructure being complemented by a favourable environment
for adopting and operating a range of sustainable and
profitable transport types (motorised and non-motorised) that
allow poor rural people to develop their livelihoods. The
processes and actions required to stimulate more favourable
conditions for rural transport will be discussed in series of
linked workshops held in Asia, Eastern and Southern Africa,
West Africa and Latin America. This initiative builds on the
consultations that led to the publication 'Improving rural
mobility: options for developing motorised and non-motorised
transport in rural areas' prepared for the World Bank by 
P Starkey, S Ellis, J Hine and A Ternell (2002).

The workshops are organised by the Secretariat of the
International Forum for Rural Transport and Development, in
association with World Bank, the UK Department of
International Development and other partner organisations.
They  will encourage thinking beyond conventional frameworks,
to find creative yet practical ways of building on existing
experience and adapting tested solutions to the particular
needs of rural people trapped in vicious circles of transport
deprivation and poverty.

OBJECTIVES
The workshops will bring together people, of various
professions, sectors and countries, who are concerned with
rural transport, planning and poverty reduction, in order to:

* Widen the debate on inadequate rural transport services,
  deepen the analysis and focus on poverty reduction.
* Identify key stakeholders in rural transport systems in the
  different regions, the disadvantaged groups, possible
  conflicts of interest and ways to initiate inclusive
  processes.
* Share knowledge and experiences on practical ways of
  overcoming constraints.
* Critically review past and present initiatives (private,
  public, NGO) and the options available for improving rural
  transport.
* Identify examples of best practices, potential pitfalls and
  knowledge gaps.
* Develop strategies to increase rural mobility using
  motorised and non-motorised transport.
* Identify channels and means to influence key stakeholders, and
  specific information resources or methodologies required for
  particular audiences.
* Propose realistic individual and collaborative actions within
  the countries represented and also at regional/international
  levels.
* Create greater awareness of the value of participatory
  workshops and the factors influencing their success.

THEMES
Participants will, through participatory processes and group
work, determine the key themes of the workshop discussions. Some
of the key questions that will influence the discussions will
be:
* Who are the stakeholders?  How should they be involved?
  How can users, suppliers and operators organise themselves to
  provide more efficient services? 
* How can the use of intermediate means of transport be
  increased and a critical mass of means of transport be
  stimulated? What strategies are there to expand sustainable
  transport services? 
* What actions can be taken to enable rural people to afford
  transport services?
* How can transport investment be more equitable? 
  What strategies are there for providing transport to those who
  cannot afford it? Are subsidies realistic and desirable?
* How can transport supply and demand be matched and costs
  lowered?
* What can be done to develop complementary infrastructure and
  transport services, including motorised, non-motorised and
  water transport?
* What changes are necessary in policy and in regulation?
  How can these be stimulated?
* What systems exist for sharing information and increasing
  capacity?  How can these be supported and developed?

PARTICIPANTS
Each workshop will be limited to about thirty participants in
order to maximise discussion and sharing of information. They
will be transport professionals, policy makers and
representatives of NGOs, civil society groups and the private
sector (formal or informal). Development professionals outside
the transport sector will be welcome. 

Most participants will 
* have experience of transport provision and constraints and/or
* have experience of addressing some or all of the questions
  above and/or
* work with, or represent, poor people that have transport
  constraints, particularly poor people in 'low density' areas
  and/or
* be in a position to influence policy and practice relating to
  poverty and transport.

All participants will be expected to contribute actively to
rigorous analysis, in-depth discussion, strategic planning and
the development of workshop outputs. Demand for places is
expected to be high, and it is regretted that not all applicants
will be able to attend. Selection will be based on the need to
achieve a creative mix of participants, taking into
consideration occupation, experience, gender and country/region
of work. Where practical, each workshop will be attended by a
small number of people from other regions. Crucial to the
selection, will be the application letters stating how people
expect to contribute to and benefit from the workshop.

PARTICIPATORY METHODOLOGY AND OUTLINE PROGRAMME
Most of the detailed work will take place in small working
groups, feeding into joint planning sessions. Formal papers will
not be required, but simple 'poster displays' illustrating one
or more of the workshop themes are strongly encouraged. On 
Day 1, selected participants will be asked to stimulate
discussion by highlighting relevant experience/information
relating to one of the workshop themes. These will be short (3-5
minute) summaries of key issues. The field visit (Day 3) will be
present an opportunity to discuss with local stakeholders how
specific actions (as prioritised on Day 2) might be implemented
and influence their livelihoods. On Day 4, participants will
work mainly in output-orientated groups, concentrating on
realistic proposals for individual and joint action.

Day 1: Situation review and problem analysis.
       Defining and understanding the limiting factors 
       that can be addressed
Day 2: How to address the problems?
       Prioritising options for relevant interventions
Day 3: Considering local practicalities and priorities
       (Small group field visits and discussions with key
       stakeholders)
Day 4: Making an impact. Defining practical ways participants
       can influence the situation, separately and in 
       collaboration. Realistic commitments to practical action 
       to achieve objectives.

IMPACT AND OUTPUTS
A report containing key lessons of the workshop, together with
related recommendations and proposals, will be prepared and
circulated. It is envisaged that this will be valuable to
national and local programmes and to donor organisations. 
A major impact of the workshop will come from the subsequent
activities of the participants, and their colleagues, who will
be a constituency in the region with the motivation and the
capacity to use available knowledge for promoting and
implementing strategies for providing efficient and more
appropriate rural transport services.

ASIA WORKSHOP DATES, LOCATION, ORGANISATION
The first of the four workshops will be held in Pilani
(Rajasthan), India from 17th June to 20th June 2002 (both days
inclusive). Pilani is located about 200 km from New Delhi and
also 200 km from Jaipur, the state capital of Rajasthan. The
workshop will be organised by the Rajasthan Forum Group at the
Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani.

Most people will be sponsored by their own organisations or
their supporting organisations. The IFRTD has very limited funds
for sponsorship. Cost of participation for the Asia workshop is
estimated at about US$500, inclusive of  the workshop fees,
a five-night stay and local transport to and from New Delhi.
All costs relating to travel to and from New Delhi from the
participant's location will be in addition to this.

ACTIONS NEEDED NOW
Applications to the Asia workshop are being entertained now.
Organisations and individuals need to circulate this information
and identify suitable participants, as soon as possible.
Applicants should be working in countries in the Asia region
Applications should describe what participants expect to
contribute to the workshop, what they expect to learn from it,
and how they expect to use their learning in their work. They
should indicate also which workshop questions they have
particular interest and/or experience in (this will not affect
subsequent choice of working groups). 

Applications for participation in this workshop should be sent
by 10 May 2002 by email or fax to the address below:

Email: Improving mobility workshops<ifrtd at ifrtd.org>
Fax:   +44 20 77138290

IFRTD Secretariat
Spitfire Studios, 63-71 Collier Street
London N1 9BE, United Kingdom





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