ANALYSING THE POVERTY-REDUCING EFFECT OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT

摘要

n this study, various data was analysed to study the role that road bridge projects in a developing country play in reducing the number of poor people. Effort was made to use objective evaluation methods of project evaluation methods wherever possible, in order to find better ways to evaluate benefits quantitatively. As a result, it has been confirmed that the two bridges considered in the study are highly beneficial, though some of the benefits of the bridge projects are thought to come from the combined effects of the bridge projects and other regional development projects. The next challenges are in the field of pre-project to post-project evaluation, research and development of evaluation methods, and the development of evaluation personnel. This study focused on road bridge projects, but in order to develop tools for providing judgment criteria necessary for efficient and effective planning and implementation of infrastructure projects in developing countries, it is important to develop different impact study methods suitable for application to different types of projects. It is believed that by developing impact study methods applicable not only to road projects but also river, electric power and other projects and by making effective use of those methods, effective infrastructure projects can be realised and accountability to the public can be fulfilled. With the aim of poverty reduction, recent assistance to developing countries tends to lean toward basic human needs projects rather than road and other economic infrastructure projects. Some countries, however, need roads and bridges if basic human needs are to be met. We propose that PIARC make extensive effort to develop methods for evaluating such projects in order to gain the understanding of assistance organisations such as the World Bank on the benefits of infrastructure improvement.