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Mozambique
Labour-based methods for road construction were first established in
Mozambique through pilot projects in the early 1980s. Following the Peace
Accord in 1992, these methods were applied to a national programme, the
Feeder Roads Programme (FRP), designed to rehabilitate roads in virtually
every part of the country. In the process, the FRP has been transformed
from a stand-alone programme to an integral part of the Directorate of
Regional Roads in the Mozambique National Road Administration.
Since 1989, the programme has rehabilitated 2,396 km of feeder roads
using labour-based methods, creating additional employment for maintenance
operations. The work is carried out through 29 labour-based
"brigades" established in all provinces of the country. Each
brigade employs 150 to 250 workers, is managed at the local level, and
works with a set of essential light equipment to safeguard quality. In
1997, the FRP employed some 6,500 workers, of which 20 per cent were
women.
The FRP has contributed significantly to the economic and social
recovery of a nation torn apart by civil war. The payment of wages to
local communities was an important means of helping people to rebuild
their livelihoods following the disruption of the war. The reopening
of roads has enabled the government to re-establish social services in
remote areas, whilst rural farmers are now able to access markets to sell
their surplus agricultural produce. Vital skills have been transferred to
thousands of Mozambicans, including those involved in the overall
management of the programme, and those tasked with implementing the works
on site. In addition, the FRP has created valuable employment
opportunities for rural communities and provided a direct injection of
cash to needy households struggling to recover from the effects of war.
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