An opportunity for employment creation, labour-based technology in roadworks: The macro-economic dimension, Uganda

Socio-Economic Technical Papers (SETP) No. 6

This study was carried out in order to evaluate the potential of using employment-intensive technology in the rehabilitation of feeder roads as a means of generating employment and combating poverty. The study concentrates on the economic aspects rather than technical ones, since it is assumed most rehabilitation work on feeder roads can be carried out by labour as well as by the use of heavy machinery. The central hypothesis of the study is that labour-based approaches are viable and offer high employment potential, as well as greater indirect benefits to the national economy than the conventional, equipment-based technology. In order to test this hypothesis, empirical evidence from feeder roads rehabilitation projects carried out in Uganda between 1993 and 1997 was compared