Local Transport Solutions--People, Paradoxes and Progress : Lessons Arising from the Spread of Intermediate Means of Transport
This publication is based on the key note paper presented by the author at the experts Meeting on Intermediate Means of Transport (IMT) which took place in Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 18, June 1999. Some 50 participants from twelve African countries...
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| Language: | English en_US |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2014
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/05/2786722/local-transport-solutions-people-paradoxes-progress-lessons-arising-spread-intermediate-means-transport http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17694 |
| Summary: | This publication is based on the key
note paper presented by the author at the experts Meeting on
Intermediate Means of Transport (IMT) which took place in
Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 18, June 1999. Some 50
participants from twelve African countries including Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
attended. Participants also included experts from the
Netherlands, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the World Bank.
The principal objective of the meeting was to examine (i)
factors accounting for the observed low use of intermediate
means of transport in Sub-Saharan Africa compared with the
rest of the world, especially Asia and (ii) to evolve
strategies for addressing identified shortcomings. Apart
from their key note paper, additional papers were presented
by experts from within and outside of Africa. It was the
first gathering of international experts devoted to the
subject of intermediate means of transport use in
Sub-Saharan Africa and was the result of exhaustive
consultations with stakeholders by the Rural Travel and
Transport Program on the need for a holistic approach to the
promotion of the enhanced use of intermediate means of
transport given the nature and character of the factors
accounting for their low use in SSA. Despite investment in
roads, inadequate transport and accessibility constrain
rural development. In Sub-Saharan Africa, most village
transport still involves people (mainly women) walking and
head loading. Between walking/carrying and large motorized
transport there is a wide range of intermediate means of
transport (IMTs). These increase transport capacity and
reduce drudgery at relatively low cost, solving local
transport problems. Local transport solutions include
wheelbarrows, hand carts, bicycles, tricycles,
animal-powered transport, motorcycles and power tiller
trailers. The promotion of intermediate means of transport
has had varied results. Examples (e.g., Mauritania, Sri
Lanka, Tanzania and Zambia) show both the effectiveness and
the lack of success of promotion by projects,
nongovernmental organizations, the private sector (formal
and informal) and person-to-person exchanges. Most Asian
transport technologies have been promoted by the private
sector. Bicycles and donkeys have mainly spread in Africa
through private sector and user-to-user promotion. Informal
diffusion can be rapid and effective, but the existing
patchy distribution of transport technologies illustrates
its unreliability. |
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