[rts] Week1 Involvement of Various Stakeholders in Rural Transport

[Roland.Python at deza.admin.ch]

Roland Python, Transport Sector Advisor from the Swiss Agency for
Development and Co-operation (SDC).

Stakeholder Chart: I think that the chart gathers all the major
stakeholders. But after having identified the stakeholders, there is a need
for knowing their interest in the development of transport arrangement, how
they can share these interests and how they can contribute in the project.
Who utilises, who benefits and who takes advantage of it?

In a SDC's study about how financing  Rural and Villages Transport
Programmes, Beat Gruber identified various levels of interests. The users
take advantage directly from improved infrastructure or service, like e.g.
organisation of producers, traders, hauliers, and regular travellers. The
beneficiaries benefit indirectly or occasionally, like e.g. local and
regional administration, governmental health, education and agricultural
services, occasional travellers going to these services. The
"usufructuaries" are the ones who open a business along the way, who own a
piece of land near the way which will have more value because of improved
access, or who get a mandate related to the project e.g. for the
construction, for the delivery of material or for the provision of services.
A transport project going beyond the village must integrate others
interests, like the one from other villages or districts concerned or from
external interests, like the central and regional government, NGO's,
financial institutions, donors.

The question is how to make these various interests fit into each other in a
viable and sustainable structure for the long term functioning and
maintenance of the project?

Finally, our experiences has shown that legitimacy  - parity in
representation and equity in contribution - and transparency - financial
audit and public audits - of this structure towards all interested bodies
are preconditions for reaching sustainability.

Your comments or complementary experiences are must welcome.

Best regards
Roland Python