le Malawi

Labour-based roadworks contractor training

The Government of Malawi is, as many of its counterparts in the sub-region, implementing a move from force account operations to private sector involvement in the road sector. ILO has assisted the Construction Industry Advisory Committee, which was the forerunner of the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC), in developing a programme for the introduction and training of small-scale civil engineering contractors and supporting client organizations. The work of the programme work is undertaken in close cooperation with other programmes such as the Road Maintenance Initiative, the multi-sectoral infrastructure provision programme funded by World Food Programme (WFP), and programmes of the European Union (EU) and the Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF).

Rural Travel and Transport

For a number of years the ILO has been involved with the development of capacity to plan and implement activities to improve the rural transport situation in Malawi. In the nineties a Pilot Integrated Rural Transport Project (PIRTP) aimed at improving mobility and accessibility was carried out in three pilot areas. During its first phase (1991-1993), the project mapped and defined the rural access problems through a socio-economic study. During the second phase, which ended in August 1997, activities to improve rural infrastructure, improve access to low-cost non-motorized means of transport were undertaken and advise on location of social and economic services provided. In particular, the project (i) developed a sustainable planning methodology for improving infrastructure and access to social and economic services; (ii) strengthened the capacity of Government and local authorities to plan and implement rural access programmes; (iii) and defined an integrated system to bring a substantial and sustainable increase in the use of intermediate means of transport. The Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning (IRAP) tool was field tested in a step-by-step process in Dedza District. The IRAP process enabled development and publishing of guidelines entitled, “A Guide to Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning in Malawi, 2000”. These have been useful beyond the borders of Malawi. The experience gained in PIRTP paved way for the methodology to be replicated in other districts in Malawi under the Department of Local Governance, which is the prime mover in the decentralization process in Malawi. The lessons from PIRTP have been used to design the ongoing Rural Accessibility and Mobility Pilot Activity (RAMPA) project where IRAP is currently being applied in Ntchisi District to enhance the District Development Planning System.

Lire

• Rural Accessibility and Mobility Pilot Activity (RAMPA) in Malawi - PDF 110 Kb
  C. Lema, In ASIST Bulletin No. 18. September 2004. Harare, ILO/ASIST
• A guide to Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning in Malawi - PDF 698 Kb
  Rob Dingen, Harare,  2000. ILO/ASIST
• Report of the final evaluation mission regarding the Pilot Integrated Rural Transport Project – Phase II
  J. Sadalaki, et al. 1996. ILO/UNDP/Government of Malawi