THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
MINISTRY OF WORKS
Appropriate Technology Training Institute
(ATTI - MBEYA)
The use of Labour Based Technology as Appropriate Method for road
Maintenance Works for Poverty alleviations
By: Mahmoud C. P. Mohamed
BSc. Transportation and Civil Engineering, MSc. Construction Management
University of Dar es Salaam
Paper Submitted
To
10TH
ZANZIBAR ROADS FUND
YEAR ANNIVERSARY WORKSHOP
MBEYA
December, 2013
ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS
ATATAP
Appropriate Technology Advisory and Training Project
ATTI
Appropriate Technology Training Institute
ATU
Appropriate Technology Unit
CRB
Contractors Registration Board
EBT
Equipment Based Technology
ILO
International Labour Organization
IRP
Integrated Roads Programme
KURRP
Kilombero and Ulanga Rural Roads Project
LBT
Labour Based Technology
LBTU
Labour Based Technology Unit
LIPWP
Labour Intensive Public Works Programme
MIRTP
Makete Integrated Rural Transport Project
MoW
Ministry of Works
PMO - RALG
Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government
RFB
Road Fund Board
RUDEP
Rukwa Integrated Rural Development Programme
TANROADS
Tanzania National Roads Agency
URT
United Republic of Tanzania
i
ABSTRACT
This paper assesses the uses of LBT as appropriate method for road maintenance works in
pursuit of alleviating poverty in rural road maintenance, the challenges that are frequently
found in a number of developing countries. Capturing on the experience of the author in the
LBT training in rural road maintenance, the paper will discuss the impact of LBT on road
maintenance works, on socio economic, technical aspect, financial and institutional facets
related to rural road maintenance to alleviate poverty.
It will also cover the experience from the work carried out during the training of LBT on
rural road maintenance through various courses done by ATTI. Labour Based Technology
(LBT) produce gravel roads of equal quality to those produced using equipment Based
Technology (EBT). LBT can as well be effectively used to other infrastructures works. If
civil engineers can apply LBT in the road sector, they will be able to apply in any other
infrastructure sector.
In road maintenance LBT can effectively be organised and may as well be executed
efficiently particularly, this can be effective when rural roads are part of policy strategic for
poverty reduction. Experiences already gathered of LBT use in Tanzania and elsewhere have
confirmed that, the method is effective in generating a long term employment from a
sustained maintenance programme at lowest possible cost, while creating short term
employment from the same investment in rural road when construction and rehabilitation of
these roads are carried out through this method. While injecting cash into the local economy,
the application of labour-based methods save on foreign exchange, transferring knowledge to
the local community about the best method for maintaining road works, the knowledge that
would be useful for later maintenance works and besides, the method is environmental
friendly.
The use of labour based in road maintenance, rehabilitation and construction effectively
enhances the application of local resources which are vital for country development. The
process optimizes the social and economic impact of investments in infrastructure by
ensuring that these investments are channeled through the local economy, so creating job
opportunities and stimulating local markets, entrepreneurship and industry while
safeguarding cost effectiveness, quality and sustainable asset delivery.
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS .................................................................................. i
ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................iii
1.0
General Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
1.1
Background ......................................................................................................... 1
1.2
Rationally and Purposes ...................................................................................... 1
2.0
Background on the Application of Labour Based Technology ................................. 2
2.1
Labour based Technology ................................................................................... 2
2.2
Traditional use of Manual Labour ...................................................................... 4
2.3
Practicability use of Manual Labour in Tanzania .............................................. 4
3.0
Three Decades of LBT Experience in Tanzania ........................................................ 5
3.1
Institutionalization of LBT for Wider Application ............................................ 6
3.2
Up-scaling Strategic use of LBT......................................................................... 6
3.3
Institutional transformation for wider expansion of LBT ................................... 6
3.4
Establishment of LBTU in the Ministry HQ....................................................... 7
4.0
The Achievement of Expansion of LBT use in Tanzania.......................................... 8
4.1
The increase of LBT Application in Roads Improvements ............................... 8
4.2
The Increased LBT Training and Propagation................................................... 9
4.3
The Effects of LBT for Poverty Reduction....................................................... 10
4.4
Challenges for the implementation of LBT programmes ................................. 12
5.0
Conclusions and Recommendations .........................................................................14
5.1
Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 14
5.2
Recommendations ............................................................................................. 15
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................16
iii
1.0
General Introduction
1.1
Background
Poverty is potentially a rural phenomenon, characterised by lack of access to essential needs.
With the majority of the population in Tanzania residing in rural areas, it is important to
improve the rural transport infrastructure as an essential component of economic
development for poverty reduction. Investment in infrastructure is seen as good strategic to
tackle the ever growing unemployment.
The application of Labour Based Technology (LBT) in road infrastructure development
works has been identified as an important aspect of the strategy for improving rural transport
infrastructure and as a means for employment creation to fight persistent poverty in the
country. The LBT strategy for infrastructure development can enable the government to
directly inject cash into the local consumption stream, thus increasing production of needed
materials and capital to the wider population.
1.2
Rationally and Purposes
The rationally of the application of manual works in road work activities is not a strange
among the practitioner’s. Many roads maintenance project involves the use of manual
labour, even among the heavily equipment projects, still there is an element of labour in its
executions. The popularity of LBT has been seen as deriving from the fact that, LBT has
convincingly demonstrated in a number of studies that the technique in many instances is
economically justified, and therefore, compatible with the economic growth objective.
The method has been identified as having benefits for developing countries that include:
lower costs; comparable quality of work; significant lower forex requirements; development
of local management skills; utilization of local labour resources through labourers and smallscale contractors; employment generation in rural areas and in targeted groups, injecting cash
income directly into rural areas where poor people normally live by relying on local
employment, and on a much larger scale than for traditional more machine intensive work
techniques, labour-based techniques employ the use of intermediate equipment which
encourages greater sustainability compared with sophisticated imported equipment; saving in
equipment and provision of repair services and spare part supplies.
Others include
sustainability; less investment in capital equipment; reduced need for specialist skilled
1
workers; reaching disadvantaged communities and stimulating local economy; and
environmental protection.
LBT thus satisfies both targeting and growth ambitions
requirements.
However, challenges still remain as its acceptance in developing countries has not been
equally wholehearted, and even today about 30 years since inception of the awareness
campaign to promote LBT, few developing countries actually systematically apply it. Many
practitioners in developing countries still tend to be puzzled and have difficult in
understanding of the benefit of LBT method, resulting into the negative connotation of the
use of technology. Still LBT is viewed as backward, primitive method of the past dark
generation. The exceptions are additionally in several instances countries, where labour
based methods have long been tradition practiced. These bottlenecks can be reduced through
government commitment, involvement in institutionalisation of LBT, effective labour
policies, appropriate design standards, effective training, and reliable flow of funds to foster
LBT activities.
The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the LBT method in the
construction of the road infrastructure project particularly uses of LBT as appropriate method
for road maintenance works for the purpose of poverty alleviation. The key drive is to
demonstrate the impact of the use of LBT for road infrastructure programmes as one among
key aspect for poverty reduction through implementation of pro-poor infrastructure
programmes, and to display the practicability of LBT in road infrastructure delivery.
2.0
Background on the Application of Labour Based Technology
2.1
Labour based Technology
The rational concept for the applications of Labour Based Technology (LBT) in road
infrastructure works, productions, transformations, and maintenance, involves the increased
use of associated local resources with employment opportunities being at the forefront. The
method puts due regard to the cost competitiveness and acceptable engineering quality
standards. LBT optimizes the use of local resources including materials, labour and skills;
the method has proven to be a technically viable and economically competitive option for
rehabilitating physical infrastructure.
2
Table 2.1: Definition of LBT
Definition: Labour-based technology aims at applying a labour/equipment mix that gives
priority to labour, but supplements it with light equipment where necessary for reasons of
quality or cost. This implies the properly planned use of labour in an economically efficient,
humanly fair, and hence sustainable manner. Labour-based technology makes optimal use of
local resources such as local material, and tools and light equipment that are nationally or
regionally produced.
Source: URT, 2003 - Taking the Use of Labour Based Technology to Scale; Programme Document
As a result, the term “labour based” used in construction of civil engineering works insist on
a flexible and optimal use of labour as the predominant resource being supported by light
equipment to ensure value for money, quality aspects and cost effectiveness of the
constructed facilities.
Labour being a primary factor of production is an aggregate of all
human physical and mental effort that is used in creation of goods and services.
Theoretically, the potential mix of labour and equipment spans the full range of technology,
with no clear boundary between the two methods. For developing as well as developed
countries, the appropriate construction methods are found somewhere between the two
extremes—100 percent labour intensive and 100 percent equipment-intensive—and depend
on the socio-economic environment and the task. In practice, the combinations of labor and
machinery that are used depend on whether the technology is labor-centered, in which labour
is the central resource and equipment plays a supporting role, or equipment-centered, in
which the opposite holds true.
Labour
Equipment
Labour Intensive
Labour Based
Equipment Intensive
Figure 2.1: The Range of Technology Interventions
Source: Johannessen and Edmonds, (1996 pp. 11).
3
2.2
Traditional use of Manual Labour
Labour-based methods depend mostly on human muscle, and little on equipment,
differentiating them from equipment-based methods. The existing applications of Labour
Based Technology (LBT) in the delivery of infrastructures are not a new development. The
method has traditionally been in use historically in various part of the world since from time
immemorial. Developed and developing countries alike have passed through various scale of
the application of manual labour. The term technology today means industrial technology,
but human being, since primitive era creatively made tools and improved process to make
their labour easy.
Currently, the application of manual labour methods today is still valid practically in the
construction of the civil engineering infrastructures of different measure. In some part of the
world in particular developing countries the methods still are the main means in the
production of various goods and works. So far, in most developing countries like Tanzania,
the method continues to be practiced in different ways in agriculture and in the construction
of transport infrastructures and urban waste management. To be exact, Tanzania an under –
developing country, surely still depend on none industrial processes (LBT).
There several success story of application of manual labour that has contributed to civil
engineering works and development. The construction of the Great Pyramid of Egypt built
about 2500 BC is among the most successful works including the Great Wall of China. In
developed countries similarly, the construction of water canals in Europe and America
through manual labour formed part of the beginning era of large-scale public works
construction (Taylor, 1998). The construction of the first Pan-American Highway (first
conceived in the 1920s) and later the US interstate highway system in the 1950s boosted
modern highway technology based on heavy equipment is among the recent work of using
manual labour for infrastructures provisions (Bruzelius and Hjelm, 2002).
2.3
Practicability use of Manual Labour in Tanzania
In Tanzania the existing uses of manual labour as a method for infrastructure provisions have
been proved as practically viable, for instance, traditional use of manual labour for
infrastructures provision in Tanzania has been applied in various part of the country. The
practical evidence has existed centuries before the advent of colonial period where the local
people at Engaruka in north of Lake Manyara, developed sophisticated and complex
4
structures for irrigations use. Another experience of using manual intensive methods in
building works still exists today in the antique buildings of Bagamoyo and Kilwa. The
construction of Tanganyika central line from Dar es Salaam to Lake Tanganyika and that of
Tanga and Kilimanjaro, during German colonial period between 1905 and 1911 is the only
unique example of the use of manual labour that are open eye to us all. In early 1980 to 1986
the Government implemented large LBT programmes under the Prime Minister’s Office;
which covered ten projects in irrigations, roads, forestry, and housing, in five regions (Braun,
et al., 1991).
Today, there are number of spoken evidences which still exist that show various application
of manual works in construction of infrastructures, irrigations activities that are still taking
place and ongoing in many part of Tanzania. This is yet a further confirmation of vivid
evidence that practically using manual works is feasible techniques. The agriculture sector in
Tanzania which enjoys employing many Tanzanians, about 80%, still in large part they use
manual hand hoes as the only viable tools and techniques for cash and food productions in
Tanzania.
3.0
Three Decades of LBT Experience in Tanzania
In Tanzania, the experiences on the use of Labour Based Technology (LBT) have mostly
been through the implementation of isolated projects in different regions, supported by
several development partners which have now been in use for over three decades. Apart from
other sector of economy using manual labour, road sector has been the most recipient of the
LBT techniques, as experience shows that, rural roads maintenance using LBT has been
successfully carried out through this method since early 1980s.
The acceptance of the LBT method were attested by number of regions which through
development partners supported and carried out pilots programmes from early 1980s: Tanga
and Mbeya (RRM), Rukwa (RUDEP), Kilimanjaro, Shinyanga, Arusha and Mwanza
(contractor’s training), Morogoro (KURRP), Ruvuma (LIPWP), Lindi and Mtwara (RIPS),
Iringa (MIRTP) and Kagera were among the first recipient of the use of technology. Through
these programmes LBT was able to be attested on its viability, and the Government was able
to comprehend its effectiveness.
5
3.1
Institutionalization of LBT for Wider Application
The Government from early 1990s, having comprehended the viability and efficiency of the
application of LBT for road infrastructure development, introduced in 1993 the Appropriate
Technology Advisory and Training Project (ATATAP) at the Ministry of Works (MoW) to
expand its use in a wider scale. The ATATAP was introduced to increase the absorption of
LBT geared under Intergraded Roads Projects (IRP). Appropriate Technology Unit (ATU)
was established under ATATAP and was given the responsibility of promoting and
coordinating the use of LBT in road infrastructures works as an executing unit operating
within the MoW HQs. Other component included the establishment of training institutes;
Appropriate Technology Training Institute (ATTI) to pave ways for training purposes in LBT
management, planning, and designing skills to further strengthen the use of the LBT.
Through ATU and ATTI, LBT were propagated and extended to different regions under
various programmes supported by development partners.
3.2
Up-scaling Strategic use of LBT
The Government, in 2004 launched a comprehensive programme in another further step to
increase the absorption of Labour Based Technology. The program marked the shift towards
the ownership and wider application of this method by all stakeholders as the potential for
employment creation through infrastructure development that had not been realized on a
significant scale (Government moving people from factories to self sustaining state industries
= peoples activities). The Up-Scaling of LBT program is expected to further strengthen and
gradually increase the Government’s role in spearheading the wider application of LBT with
the aim of making the application of LBT in the country a national concern through
optimization use of local resource.
3.3
Institutional transformation for wider expansion of LBT
‘Taking the use of Labour Based Technology (LBT) to scale’, meant to combine and capture
the benefits accrued from past LBT experience and mainstreaming it for wider applications,
thereafter, formulate national policy that would guide its implementation strategies to
sustainable phase.
The main components of the institutional transformation strategy
comprised of the: -
6

Formulation, adoption and publication of an appropriate and adequate national policy
to guide the use of LBT in Tanzania,

Expansion of knowledge and capacity building in the public and private sectors for
the proper planning, designing and implementation of infrastructure works using LB,
and

Creation of an enabling environment for the provision and maintenance of
infrastructure using LBT, principally with appropriate and supportive involvement of
the private sector (local contracting involvements).
3.4
Establishment of LBTU in the Ministry HQ
This mandate required transformation and reforming of Appropriate Technology Unit (ATU)
with greater responsibility and mandate that would deal with the day to day management,
policy issues, awareness and advocates of LBT in the Country. Two components in this
regard were required to facilitate the implementation of the mission and fulfil the programme
management. The two components that were formulated to support role of LBT propagation
were: Labour Based Technology Unit (LBTU)
The Labour-Based Technology Unit was established at the Ministry HQs as a National Focal
Unit for operations of the day-to-day implementation of the programme, with responsibility
of coordination of LBT activities in the country and having Linkages to existing potential
planners, implementers of LBT. Also provide support role for the ATTI.
The Appropriate Technology Training Institute (ATTI)
The Appropriate Technology Training Institute (ATTI) situated at Mbeya is a focal point
designated for training of LBT which has received big shift for being strengthened to be able
to deal with greater mandate of LBT training provision. The two components formed the
institutional framework for the operational and expansion of LBT in creation of awareness
advocacy in the public and private sectors and within civil society and create capacity for
client and other organizations to ensure that, the use of LBT becomes part of decision making
rather than being seen as a separate special technology approach (From colonial labour based
factories to state independent labour based industries).
7
4.0
The Achievement of Expansion of LBT use in Tanzania
4.1
The increase of LBT Application in Roads Improvements
Since the acceptance of LBT in Tanzania, now more than 30 years, major implementation
have taken place to pave way for LBT expansion in pursuit of contributing to economic
development of the country. One of the objectives of the road sector is to contribute to
economic development and poverty reduction by creating employment in infrastructure
investments through LBT use. The road sector plays an important role in employment
creation in community based construction and maintenance of rural roads.
The feedback from the executed projects demonstrates the potential of using LBT in
improvement of roads covering, new constructions, rehabilitation, spot improvements and
routine maintenance. Various forms of implementing LBT project includes: implementation
through force account system, contracting using normal contractors and LBT specialist
contractors. The capacity building strategies is through training programmes for contractors,
clients and consultants. Awareness promotion is among the method that is used to market the
application of LBT in Tanzania among others. Therefore, the initiatives so far that have been
taken, have confirmed that LBT has immense potentials in implementing various roads
project.
The spirit of the implementation of maintenance using LBT currently is increasing among
TANROADS Regional Managers offices. The recent survey that was conducted by the
Ministry of Works has revealed the increase use of LBT in some of these TANROADS
regionals offices. The reason is that, although the TANROADS HQ and regional manager’s
offices programmes insist on contracting out the work according to the Procurement act using
Machine/Equipment method, the reality on the ground shows different approach as
contractors performing these projects still depend on the use of manual labour (LBT) method
mixed with machine. Machines/Equipments are basically being used to speed up completion
of projects works.
Therefore, the targeted areas of interventions that are expected to increase the applicability
of LBT is through the use and improved capacity of local contractors, also improving and
strengthening of LBT training at ATTI through strong strategy formulations and awareness
promotion to the broader coverage of stakeholders through LBTU at the Ministry HQs.
8
4.2
The Increased LBT Training and Propagation
The roads sector in Tanzania can be attributed as among the sector where, significant job
creation can be developed through the optimal use of labour based method with objectives of
realization of maximum effect on poverty reduction. The institute for about 30 years has
been providing LBT training to various road stakeholders who have attended various courses
on the use of LBT. The impact derived from LBT training projects has been significant for
the expansion of the method and related skills to the practitioners and among the greatest
potential arising from using labour based methods has been for employment creation. An
example can be given from the trial contracts for the PMO RALG project that was piloted to
complete the PMO RALG training which used approximately 30,000 pds as casual labourers
with an average of Tshs. 3840/= as paid wages to each participants, the community involved
retained about Tshs. 115, 200,000/= in total.
The general output before up-scaling programme, ATTI had already trained a total of 526
LBT practitioners by the year 2005, represents 26% of the total trained today. The progress
after the up-scaling LBT for training activities by the year 2013, the number of People trained
had exceeded 2049 practitioners. This indicates that a rise of 74% has been realized. The
number is cumulative from 1993 when the ATTIs were established. The road works that
have been rehabilitated since the up-scaling of LBT reached 14.31km. The maintenance work
reached 69.15km. The total of 126.68km has already been rehabilitated and maintained since
the establishment of ATTI.
The number of contractors registered as LBT specialist
contractors has also increased to 113 (ATTI, 2010). Other training activities that had been
conducted by ATTI during the period of up-scaling programme included workshop and
awareness campaign. A number of workshop conducted reached seven (7) in total.
Therefore, given the potential of this method to employment, the underlying postulation is
that, LBT approach given the socio-economic situation of family unit participating in the
LBT project could accumulate sufficient cash to meet basic needs and make other kinds of
investment that would later translate to multiplying effect. These family units will be better
after they have participated in a project compared with what if it was none of such projects
existed.
Socio-economic impact of these projects to the community have been tremendously as the
training activities have increased social economic to the surrounding villages ranging from: 9
a. Improvement of schools accessibility; a primary and secondary schools along side the
road;
b. Improvement of hundreds of households/residence services;
c. Improvement of cash and food crops collection to market centers that includes,
d. Increased market price of agricultural produce due to assured traffic transportation
and accessibility from the fields to the nearby markets;
e. LBT Skills transfer to local villagers essential for future community based road work
that they could works on their own initiatives with minimum supervision;
f. Imparted sense of ownership of the road to villagers vital for safeguarding road asset
against any vandalism; and
g. Strengthened social relationship between different community
4.3
The Effects of LBT for Poverty Reduction
The lack of productive employment is said to be a major root of poverty in rural as well as in
urban areas. Since it has been proven that labour based method has a high potential for
creating productive employment, this later would translate into directly and/or indirectly
poverty reduction if effectively application of LBT is put into practice. The method generate
temporary employment for men and women, an example is generation of 24 million workerdays in Kenya between 1974 and 1996 during Kenya Minor Road Programme, while 7
million worker-days were generated in Morocco in 1961 in a similar employment projects.
Training activities at ATTI have managed to generate employment to the road works
participants during its training programmes most Villagers have been employed during field
practical works where,
the household populations have increased incomes which enabled
them to purchase the basic requirement for a better livelihood, including paying school fees
and improved access to health facilities (affordability factor). Since labour-based methods
would provide a stronger stimulus to the local economy, the increased economic growth
(assuming it would remain above the population growth rate) would directly increase per
capita income and thus improve the national poverty indicators.
Indeed poor family unit may be able to acquire some assets to improve their housing and
obtain other inputs whilst others are engaged in some micro-enterprise activities. However,
given the nature of training which takes place only for six weeks and relatively low wage rate
generally offered in these projects, it is not conceivable that there may be a major
10
improvement in the livelihood and or socio-economic position of large numbers of
participants since the evidence generated in most LBT projects is that most of the income
earned is spent in basic survivalist items which quickly disappear upon the termination of the
projects.
The other impact have been through the rehabilitation of various model practical roads, the
experience shows that the roads have been of outstanding quality far more better that the
corresponding machine based method of road rehabilitation and maintenance.
Dodoma: Nzuguni –Mahomanyika Road
Mbeya Rungwe:Ngopolyo-Irulwe Road
Morogoro-Kilombero: Matema Village
Mbeya Rungwe: Ngopolyo-Ilurwe road
Road rehabilitation section
Masonry Box Culvert Construction
The above photo shows the achievements of Maintenance and rehabilitation of some of the
model road that, ATTI has been able to accomplish during training Activities undertaken at
various occasions. The recommendation given by various stakeholders and participants of
various training have been that LBT should be used in all the LGAs road for the purposes of
both obtaining quality infrastructures and then community employments to pave way for
poverty reduction strategy through infrastructures works.
11
4.4
Challenges for the implementation of LBT programmes
The use of labour-based methods for road works has been an important part of the strategy to
improve rural transport infrastructures and employment policy. The method has demonstrated
that good gravel roads of equal quality to those produced using equipment are possible
product. However, the efforts to sustainable use of LBT have proved insufficient for
expanding LB methods as their use often collapsed soon after the pilot ended.
A major constraint to the expansion of LBT approaches in the roads sector is the required
technical specification. Equipment for the sake of reaching the required standards may be
needed. Strict quality control is vital to delivering durable assets. Time is a more important
factor than cost in deciding whether to adopt LBT methods as unreasonable programmes may
oblige government and/or contractors to resort to the use of equipment. Labour availability
(particularly in rural areas during the agricultural season) can also serve as a constraint. The
operation of LBT in Tanzania has still not able achieved a mainstream status due to several
challenges/constraints; some of which are underlined below.
4.1.1 Institutional Arrangement
It is now been realized that the sustainability of LB methods depends totally on the
institutional framework at the national level with strong Government commitment and a
policy in favour of LB technology. Reforms that need most attention include generating
political will to the LBT, adapting design standards and tendering procedures to make them
appropriate for LB methods, providing training so that quality can be ensured, ensuring a
reliable flow of funds and decentralizing the administrative structure by delegating authority
and financing to the appropriate level.
4.1.2 Awareness and Attitudes
Modern construction technology is already mastered by public administrations and
contractors in most countries while LBT, involving management of a much larger labour
force, require changes in attitude as well as training. All this results in a strong bias towards
preserving the status quo; accepting new techniques requires an open mind and a willingness
to learn among the engineers who must apply it. It also requires political will to resist
pressure from vested interests and make the best use of the human resources. Changing well
12
established technology requires a multi-level approach as well as the time to learn it; it cannot
be done piecemeal and hurriedly. Putting aside the profound shifts in attitude which must be
induced, they require extensive retraining of public works managers, engineers and
construction firms.
4.1.3 Development of Small Scale Contractors
Private sector development and the objectives of the construction sectors go in line with the
government intentions to improve the economy via small scale rural initiatives. Increased
participation of private sector in the execution of road works through purposeful government
initiatives would go a long way to increase the number of private contractors registered by
the Contractors Registration Board (CRB). Currently, CRB include specialists contractors
among them are Labour Based Road Works Contractors which are about 113 CRB registered
LBT Contractors (ATTI, 2010). However, LBT practitioners including LBT contractors are
being faced with a number of challenges that ranges from:
Lack of deployment and furthering their expertise, knowledge and experience

Mixed use (Involving in Multi-sectorial activities),

Wages and reward are very low and there no incentives for practicing experts,

Contracting environment is difficult as it is not easy to get contracts, involving vice
and LBT practitioners are less being fully deployed.
4.1.4 Financing of Training
Funding of LB contractors training in Tanzania has mostly been donor dependent which has
made training ad hoc and unsustainable. There should therefore, an efforts towards sustaining
the training programmes. Contractors and other stakeholders will definitely be ready to pay
for training if there are potential benefits such as jobs. Three options are possible, one
allocating direct government subsides to the LBT training, allocating a small percent of the
road fund for training of LBT contractors is another of the options worth considering. The
raising of a training levy from contracts for small-scale contracts is not common but could be
considered.
13
5.0
Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1
Conclusions
Tanzania is in the middle of the long and difficult transition towards a competitive and
market based economy.
Unemployment and underemployment is most pressing social
problem in almost all developing agenda and programmes being addressed. Labour Based
Technology in public works applied on a large scale could contribute greatly to alleviating
poverty to many in Tanzania through infrastructures employments effort. Genuinely labour
Based Technology for public works programmes function as a panacea to people who are
adversely affected by poverty. They create much-needed infrastructure and provide workers
with marketable skills, and with the sense of dignity, discipline, and self-respect that comes
from doing useful work. Evidence exists to show case, where LBT could do all this in a way
that is fully compatible with macroeconomic discipline. Labour-based (LB) road technology
is therefore one of the promising and sustainable road engineering practices worth promoting.
The method is not bound only to the road subsector but can also be applied to similar types of
works in other sectors, including water supply, sanitation, irrigation, etc.
Sustainability: Although the road authorities are held accountable for sustainable labourintensive and/or empowerment programmes the technologies must also have application
potential on a wider front. This will only happen if the technology offers cost-effective and
high quality solutions to the clients’ requirements. Unless all the components of sustainability
are satisfied, it is unlikely that a road upgrade project will bring long-term benefit to a rural
community therefore, LBT programmes should be: a. Politically supported – the road project must be clearly supported at the relevant local
authority level as well as at Ministerial level.
b. Socially acceptable – the local people (stakeholders) must benefit in the long term
from the road upgrade.
c. Economically viable – the economic benefits from using the upgraded road (for
example, the development opportunities) must be greater than the economic costs.
d. Financially sound – there must be adequate funding in place for construction and
long-term maintenance of the improved road.
e. Institutionally possible – the organisations and bodies responsible for constructing and
maintaining the road must have the necessary resources and knowledge.
14
f. Technically appropriate – the proposed road design must be compatible with its
intended function and its physical environment.
g. Environmentally sustainable – the road construction as well as its subsequent use and
maintenance should not cause significant environmental damage.
5.2
Recommendations
Institutional capacity strengthening for LBT support
Limitations and insufficient knowledge in the area of LBT may inhibit the choice of
appropriate technology. Therefore, to enhance capacity building to all level of managerial
cadre to address the inadequacies of engineers, consultancy engineers’, contractors, and
supervisors is prerequisite for the achievement of expanding LBT.
Compliance monitoring and enforcement on wider use of LBT
To attain the stated goal for the wider application of LBT: Statement alone that directs public
and private sector to pursue the wider implementation of LBT is not enough, rather it needs
statements that are action oriented through enforcement compliance, monitoring and
evaluations that would encourage the clients to plan works giving priorities to LBT related
works and giving women equal access to LBT related works through encouragement and
participation in forming LBT Contracts.
Managing the success of LBT programme
It is evidence that, the development of LBT could have been successful if the Government
had strong institutional framework arrangements that are capable of managing the success of
the end results once the donor had ended their assistances. Rather due to absence of realistic
policy framework to guide the implementation of LBT programmes it is sadly that once the
successful results are obtained they are left unmanaged and eventual fails to be sustainable
once the donor leaves and everything comes to square one again.
LBT optimizations in construction works
To realize optimum utilization of LBT the Government through financing entity RFB in
collaboration with the MoW and other stakeholders should set up conditions and indices that
would stipulate labour content of work executed in every project.
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