[rts] Week 1 Discussion

[Dr Charles K Kaira]

Dear Collegues!

My name is Charles K. Kaira.  I am a Rural Transport Specialist freelancing
and based in Kampala, Uganda.

I support the comments made by Schelling and Aryal. In addition I wish to
add the following:

Stakeholder Chart:

 Communities along the transport services routes have been left out and yet
they play an important role in evolving/participating in those activities
(socio-economic) that are responsible for generating traffic. Without these
activities commercialising sustainable and affordable rural transport
services/technologies will be a difficult task to achieve. It should be
noted that these communities in a number of cases are involved in the
provision and maintenance of the transport infrastructure in cooperation
with NGOs, government agencies and donors.

The ministries of agriculture, marketing, trade/industry and information
should also be involved since their programs impact on traffic demand and
transport supply. In this respect, programs such as agro-processing,
cottage industries and poverty alleviation that promote income generation
and enhance social services delivery should be planned and implemented in
an integrated manner.

The HIPC IMF/WB programs could contribute resources for the development of
sustainable rural transport services through focused programs such as
poverty alleviation and social services delivery.

Methodoloy to involve all stakeholders: 

Integrated approach to planning for rural transport services should be used
in a participatory manner (bottom-up and top-down iterative process). This
requires integrating rural transport components in other social services
delivery and development programs such as poverty alleviation, agricultural
production & marketing, health, education,  refugee schemes, etc.

Conditions that influence the development of rural transport services:

A combination of factors that influence overall traffic efficiency and
profitability and those that alleviate poverty through income generating
activities and improved social services delivery should be concetrated on.

Regards,

Charles K. Kaira