SMALL FARMER MARKET ACCESS

EVALUATION, THE FINAL ONE FOR THE PROJECT, COVERS THE PERIOD 3/76-3/80 AND IS BASED ON INTERVIEWS WITH USAID AND CV PERSONNEL. UNDER CV"S LABOR-INTENSIVE PICK AND SHOVEL PROGRAM, 59 ROAD SEGMENTS TOTALLING 478 KMS OF ALL WEATHER ROADS -- WITH EMPHASIS ON DRAINAGE AND SURFACING TO REDUCE MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS -- WERE CONSTRUCTED, INCLUDING DITCHES, CULVERTS, AND BRIDGES. DUE TO HIGHER THAN EXPECTED INFLATION RATES, CONSTRUCTION FELL SHORT OF TARGETS OF 110 SEGMENTS AND 890 KMS. THE ROADS, WHICH HAVE BEEN ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED BY INHABITANTS, SERVE 429 SMALL TOWNS IN ISOLATED AREAS WITH A POPULATION OF 295,000. AS A RESULT OF THE ROADS, TRUCK TRANSPORT HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE, MAKING THE PLANTING OF CERTAIN CROPS ECONOMICAL; TRACTORS, FERTILIZERS, AND IMPROVED SEEDS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED; AND 101,000 HA OF LAND ARE UNDER NEW CULTIVATION. ACCESS TO CREDIT, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH FACILITIES HAS BEEN MADE EASIER. PICK AND SHOVEL TECHNIQUES PROVED TO BE CHEAPER IN REMOTE AREA DUE TO THE RELUCTANCE OF CONTRACTORS TO TRAVEL FAR DISTANCES. A TOTAL OF 143,000 MAN-MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT WAS GENERATED BY THE PROJECT AND $6.4 MILLION WAS PAID TO CAMPESINOS IN WAGES. INSTITUTIONAL UPGRADING OF CV WAS ACCOMPLISHED AS PLANNED. IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPMENT OF A COST-ACCOUNTING STUDY AND AN EFFECTIVE METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE ROADS, NON-POLITICAL ROAD SELECTION CRITERIA WERE DEVELOPED AND PROVED TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT CONTRIBUTING TO PROJECT SUCCESS. FURTHER, A STUDY OF CV ROAD MAINTENANCE CAPACITY WAS COMPLETED AND A SIMPLE MAINTENANCE MANUAL WAS DISTRIBUTED TO 5,000 FARMERS; 13 TRAINING SEMINARS WERE CONDUCTED FOR 500 CV STAFF; AND CV CARRIED OUT MAINTENANCE WORKS ON 30 LABOR INTENSIVE ROADS CONSTRUCTED UNDER AN EARLIER PROGRAM. PROJECT HAS TAUGHT THAT LACK OF ROADS WERE A CRITICAL CONSTRAINT TO DEVELOPMENT AND THAT VARIOUS SERVICES WILL DEVELOP BY THEMSELVES ONCE ROADS ARE MADE AVAILABLE.