Approach for Empowering Community through the Participatory Maintenance of Rural Roads using Do-nou Technology

Abstract

In this paper, a civil engineering approach in tackling poverty in rural area of developing countries is introduced.

Provision and maintenance of rural roads are instrumental in economic development, the economy of most of developing countries is agricultural and large proportions of their population live in the rural areas where accessibility and road conditions are largely poor. Roads become impassable during the rainy season preventing transportation of farm produce to markets and thus accounting for a large proportion of losses incurred by farmers who otherwise depend on agriculture.

The authors, with this recognition, have carried out full scale model driving tests and field demonstrations on rural road maintenance using Do-nou “a Japanese term for soilbag” and involving rural people themselves. In this method, only locally available material is required and all procedures are conducted manually. This process is participatory, organized farmers' groups who are trained by the authors repair and maintain the road; armed with the transferred knowledge, the farmers continue to maintain their road with Do-nou even after the civil engineers are gone. It is found that the road maintenance with Do-nou is so simple and effective that the farmers who participated in the construction were encouraged, motivated and felt owners of the road. Additionally it can be said that Do-nou technology gives people the motivation to improve their life leading to poverty reduction.

In order to meet goals of this newly developed technology, it is important that the technology take root in the target communities. In this study, four approaches of technology transfer in four countries have been used.

An approach for poverty reduction as civil engineers has been established through focused subject of study, relevant technological development, field demonstrations and knowledge extension/transfer. By following up this approach, the community people in the third world will be able to access the marckets and services hence poverty reduction.