Areas for Future Research

Despite recent studies on the subject, the knowledge base linking infrastructure to poverty reduction remains limited. This entails bridging the remaining knowledge gap on the impacts of sector policy change, impacts of changes in service provision, impacts of transport modes other than roads, impacts on the urban poor, and the importance of rural-urban linkages. There is a need to have a better understanding of the notion of poverty reduction, the distribution of benefits between the poor and non-poor, and measures to include the poor in decision making process. The research needs also extend to issues related to privatization and regulation of transport infrastructure, innovative road maintenance scheme, and the indirect effects of larger infrastructure investments on poverty.

Finally, efforts to promote cross-border transport projects will have to be supported with empirical studies which approximate the benefits to encourage participating countries to increase the amount of cross boarder infrastructure investment.

Comment(s)

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1. Anura Widana
   (posted 28 April 2010 / 07:19:56 PM)
   
   Excellent study, hats off to authors!
   Wish to add three more reasons why poor have not benefited from investments on infrastructure.
   a) In the planning process, the poor people were not identified and planning itself was undertaken poor exclusive
   b) The method/s adopted to rehabilitate/ build infrastructure have not been pro-poor. The implementation team decided to get construction work done through private contractors or politicized institutions both of which did not pay attention to poor in the area. Their main interest was to maximize profits for themselves from investments. Hence, poor lost the opportunity to work in construction and thereby could not benefit by way of wages.
   c) The design teams did not include poverty/social but technical specialists only. This made it difficult for implementers to identify poor people, to plan strategies to get them involved and to brain-storm on other projects/activities to be funded so that poor people benefit more from investments.
2. Mohammad Ziaul Ahsan
   (posted 23 April 2006 / 09:49:14 PM)
   
   Transport not only makes econmic development but also saves climate. This book has given us such path to make sustainable development for poverty eradication. Thanking you for your great participation.