2003年-世界发展银行全球_Malawi_-_Lessons_Learned_From_Public_Works_Programs_2页_101kb

报告摘要

Malawi: Lessons Learned From Public Works Programs

Core Content

The Findings Infobriefs document provides an overview of lessons learned from Public Works Programs (PwPs) implemented in Malawi by two key organizations: CARE International's Central Region Infrastructure Maintenance Programme (CRIMP), funded by DFID, and the Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF), funded by the World Bank with parallel support from DFID. The report outlines best practices and challenges in the design, implementation, and impact of these programs, emphasizing their role in poverty reduction, capacity building, and community development.

Main Views and Key Information

General Principles

Program Objectives: It is crucial to distinguish between developmental and shock-responsive goals when designing PwPs. Developmental programs should include strategies for graduation (e.g., economic training, savings) or ensure long-term employment continuity.
Asset Creation: PwPs have contributed to the creation of valuable assets like environmental protection and access routes. However, full cost recovery is not yet feasible in Malawi, so maintenance must be budgeted.
Capacity Building: PwPs help in developing local governance capacity and empowering local government bodies. Adequate budgeting for administrative and supervision costs is essential.
Skills Transfer: These programs serve as a means of transferring skills to communities, enabling follow-on initiatives to benefit from residual knowledge and organizational capacity.

Payment Mechanisms

Wage Preferences: Malawian beneficiaries prefer lower wages over longer periods rather than higher wages for shorter durations.
Economic Impact: Delays in payment can lead to borrowing at high informal interest rates, negatively affecting participants' financial stability.
Transfer Types: Cash transfers can stimulate rural economies and improve creditworthiness, while food transfers are more manageable for women at the household level. However, PwPs may be the only way for women to access cash.

HIV/AIDS and Gender

Empowerment of Women: Cash earnings contribute to women's empowerment within households.
Group Training: CARE's Contract Association model improved women's control over cash resources through group formation training.
Invisible Barriers: Women face challenges in participating in PwPs, particularly in road maintenance. Programs should include all-female gangs with child care, realistic task rates, and proximity to homes (within 3–4 km).
HIV/AIDS Integration: There is a need for more comprehensive integration of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and mitigation into PwP design. PwPs can also serve as platforms for savings and credit facilities to support affected households.

Training, Economic Activity and Investment

Combined Incentives: Combining wages with lump-sum savings and training significantly boosts economic activity and asset accumulation.
Self-Targeting: Using a wage rate below the market rate can help exclude elite capture and ensure that the most vulnerable are targeted.
Market Rate Wages: Programs with poverty reduction goals should use wages above or near market rates, requiring robust community-level targeting and external facilitation.

Scope of Works

Project Selection: Not all works are suitable for PwPs. Criteria include low capital requirements, proximity to households (within 3 km), sustainability over at least 4 months, and compatibility with seasonal labor availability.
Diverse Activities: Beyond road maintenance, activities such as reforestation, soil conservation, small-scale irrigation, and solid waste management have been successfully piloted in Malawi.

Use of Small-Scale Contractors

Training: Small-scale community-based contractors can be trained in 8 weeks to establish viable businesses and deliver quality work.
Monitoring and Compliance: Specific contract clauses and external monitoring are recommended to ensure compliance with targeting, site standards, HIV/AIDS awareness, and the ILO Decent Work agenda. Additional funds should be allocated for HIV/AIDS awareness in contracts.

References

MASAF, "Second PWP Beneficiary Assessment," Final Report October 2000.
CARE, "International Gender Study for Safety Nets Projects," January 2003.
Linda Adams, Beneficiary Perceptions of Safety Net Transfers in Malawi (DFID, 2001).