Title: Why Road is First Important for Development?

Rural Road in Rolpa opens through German support

TGW News

Mr. Norbert Meyer, Deputy Chief of Mission of the German Embassy in Nepal opened a 30 kilometres long rural road in the district of Rolpa on May 28, 2008.

The road leads from Sulichaur north to Phuliban traversing several VDCs. It has been constructed with the support of the German government through the Food Security and Rehabilitation Project (FSRP) of GTZ, the government-owned agency for international technical cooperation.

The German financial support consisted of the provision of locally not available materials and tools as well as rice and cash payments as incentive to the workers, using a combined approach of food-for-work and cash-for-work. Altogether Germany has granted more than NRS. 80 million for this project.

User committees of seven road sections have organized a large number of labour groups, who constructed the road according to the “green road principle” during a period of four years. The “green road principle” includes labour-intensive and environment-friendly construction methods. No machinery and no explosives for blasting of rocks, for instance, are applied. The road construction, focusing particularly food deficit VDCs of Rolpa, ensures in the short-term that local people have off-farm employment opportunities during the construction period. In the medium-term, the communities are expected to gain better access to public and private services, and to profit from reduced costs to transport goods and people. In the long run, the road is intended to secure durable economic development. Technical assistance in the fields of design, implementation and maintenance has been provided by GTZ technical and social staff located in the district. Along with the road construction, the Food Security and Rehabilitation Project of GTZ has also promoted agricultural and horticultural production in the VDCs adjacent to the road introducing new products formerly not or little produced in the area like ginger, potatoes, fruit trees and special herbs.

It is remarkable that the infrastructure and the productive sector development could be started and continued in this remote district during the violent conflict. In addition to the road construction and through socio-economic infrastructure development – including drinking water supply, school buildings, and irrigation systems – as well as agriculture and horticulture promotion, the German support through GTZ has shown a significant impact on the local self-sufficiency of food and an improvement of the nutritional status of the target population. The implementation approach through community-based organisations, such as user groups and committees, further strengthened the self-help capacities of the population. By targeting the very poor of the district and the specific needs of women and deprived population groups, the project activities also have promoted gender and caste equality. Direct beneficiaries number about 3,500 families or 20,000 persons; indirect beneficiaries are estimated at 50,000 persons.

After this year’s rainy season another rural road supported by GTZ will be inaugurated in the district of Rukum. The road of more than 30 kilometres length will connect the eastern part of Rukum to the district headquarters of Muskiot Kalanga and to major markets and service centres of the country.

(Press Release issued by the German Embassy in Kathmandu ...