Food for Work and distribution

The Ministry of Economic Coordination and Labor will implement the project. The project will fund two main types of activities: construction of farm-to-market roads and soil/water conservation works. The rural access roads will be of the cobblestone type and will cover approximately 40 miles between the archipelago"s most productive agricultural area to the port city of Porto Novo. Construction of the roads will increase farmer income by improving access to national markets and reducing transportation costs. The soil and water conservation works will include the following: building of dikes in valley areas to catch alluvial soils washed down from the mountains by torrential rains; retaining walls to prevent further erosion of soils into valley areas used for crop production; construction of stone and concrete aqueducts to permit the irrigation of valley areas reclaimed through the diking system; and the clearing of rocks from areas that can be used for pasturage or crop production. All constructon methods for both roads and conservation works will be highly labor-intensive in order to respond to GCV priorities on employment generation. It is expected that approximately 10, 000 workers will be employed under the project. Workers will be paid a minimum wage equivalent to U.S. $2.50 per hour. (PL 480 commodities will also be provided as part of a related food for work project in Cape Verde). The project was amended in a September 1978 action memorandum. Project funding was increased and the project was extended for one year. The added funds will provide continued employment to an average of 4,800 workers per day. (PD-AAG-799)