ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the rationale for the use and development of various technologies in developing countries for road construction and maintenance. It provides examples of their successful use and sets out the requirements for identifying, planning and implementing an appropriate technology approach. Road construction and maintenance technology in developed countries tends to be based on single activity, high cost, sophisticated items of equipment that maximise the use of their expensive resource – manpower. Labour is often abundantly available close to the road where agriculture is established, and low or intermittent labour demand in that sector usually permits casual or more permanent employment on roads. Since 1974 approximately 11,000 km of Classified Rural Access and Minor Roads have been constructed or rehabilitated to all weather standards using labour based methods. Labour based roadworksPrincipally carried out by manual methods; usually labour living in the location of the road. The labourers walk or cycle to work each day from their homes.
