Case Studies:Road Improvement Activities

Participants in the road improvements group will write an environmental review of a proposed activity to build new roads and rehabilitate existing roads to serve IDP camps in Kwanza Sul Province. These proposed activities are hypothetical. No NGO, PVO, or funding agency is undertaking the exact road improvement activities described below, at this time. The purpose of the field trip is to show you examples of actual projects upon which you can base your review.

Proposed Activities: IDP camp road rehabilitation and construction

Purpose and Need of Activity: To improve movement of people, goods and agricultural produce to and from IDP camps in Kwanza Sul Province.

In a number of actual cases, IDP camp village access roads have been constructed using Food for Work labor from the camps This hypothetical, proposed activity is as follows:

Local contractors are be instructed in how to improve current IDP camp roads in the Kwanza Sul Region, including the existing roads in Pomba Nova and the creation of new access roads for planned Pomba Nova camp expansion. Construction and road rehabilitation is to be accomplished by hand using Food For Work labor.

A total of 50 km of new access roads will be created and 100 km of exiting road rehabilitated. A training program and incentive system will also be established with IDP residents for routine maintenance and repair of existing roads.

Case Site Background Notes

Note: These case studies have been generated based on information that is sometimes conflicting or incomplete. If you have information that corrects or presents another interpretation of the situation, please inform the facilitators and the case study working group.

Caution: In discussions with stakeholders, please be careful to avoid raising any expectations (or fears) that the activity described here will be implemented.

History of the Pomba Nova and Njata IDP camps

Resumption of hostilities between GoA and UNITA rebels after the failed 1992 Peace Agreement saw a huge influx of internally displaced persons in Sumbe and Gabela. These people upon arrival in these cities established temporary settlements and started fending for a living through carting water, working as stevedores or selling fuelwood.

Following a succession of consultative meetings involving Provincial Government, NGOs and WFP (a plan was elaborated to relocate these people to temporary settlement sites. Njata and Pomba Nova IDP camp sites were thus created with a total IDP population of 800 families.

Table 1: Parties involved in establishing Njata and Pombo Nova IDP camps

MINARS / Vetting, registering, transporting and settling IDPs
MINADER / Acquire and distribute land, provide extension services
SCF-USA / Assume implementation responsibilities in Njata Camp site. (Provide shelter, seed and tools, technical services, supervise the construction of a school and health post and rehabilitate village access road.)
AAD / Assume implementation responsibilities in Pomba Nova IDP Camp site. (Provide shelter, seed and tools, technical services, supervise the construction of a school and health post and rehabilitate village access road.)
WFP / Supply food rations and monitor work progress.

Food For Work projects were developed for both sites. The projects included:

construction of schools;
construction of health posts;
acquisition and distribution of farm land;
rehabilitation of village access roads;
supply of seed and basic hand tools and
construction of temporary shelter for the IDPs

Implementation of projects commenced in July of 1999. The original contract terminated in June 2000. The 1999/2000 agricultural season was disastrous, and projects at both sites were extended.

Njata IDP Camp

General information:

Location. Njata Camp (see sketch map B), is approached by driving approximately 5 kilometers on the main Sumbe-Luanda road then turning north approximately 10 km on the earthen road toward the Africare Seed Multiplication Field and the Quacra Training Center, then another 8 km west to Njata Camp. It is approximately 25 km north-east of Sumbe city.
Climate, landscape and soils. The topography of the area is generally flat with an undulating relief broken by hills and scattered mountains. The mean annual precipitation of 400-600 mm is distributed over one season from mid-February to April/May. The rains are characterized by an unreliable start and unreliable distribution and sometimes fail completely. The soils are moderately deep, inherently fertile sandy loams. The landscape in these cluster of villages is bereft of vegetation. (Vegetation has been extensively exploited for construction poles, expansion of arable land, indiscriminate burning—and, more recently, charcoal production.)
Population and land use. An estimated 950 households (excluding the IDPs at Njata camp site) reside in the Njata cluster of villages, The majority of inhabitants (60%) are not indigenous to the area, most having fled from Ambuiva, Seles, Conda and Cassongue when hostilities flared again in 1992. Upon arrival in Sumbe, these internally displaced persons were relocated to these areas and are now classified as residents.

The maximum number of inhabitants per household is 10 while the minimum is 2. The average household has just under 6 members. The population is supported by an average farm size of about 2 hectares, although some of the indigenous inhabitants own in excess of 10 ha. Most of the land in the village is owned under customary tenure conditions (acquisition through the local chiefs followed by inheritance). Immigrants into the area have to borrow land from the indigenous people or encroach on the woodlands.

The majority of cultivated land is rainfed. Yields per unit area are very low with the major limiting factor being water. No external inputs (e.g., mineral fertilizers, plant protectants etc) are used. Local open-pollinated crop varieties adapted to the climate are sown. (Catete is the local maize variety preferred in the area, erect and runner type cowpea varieties are also grown in the area.) Most seed used is home-saved or is acquired from relatives. Access to inputs like seed and tools is limited because of financial constraints. Cereal yields are possible once in every 3-4 years. Due to the low agricultural productivity, the majority of inhabitants have turned to charcoal production as a livelihood strategy.

Irrigated farming is possible, but is constrained by land topography which necessitates a high initial capital outlay for pumping water from the Cambongo River. The indigenous population in the area occupy vast tracts of land along the Cambongo River where bananas, cane and some vegetable crops are grown.

Livestock production is of minor importance. Mainly goats, poultry and pigs are kept. They are basically scavengers and are slaughtered for celebrations or serve as financial fallback during times of need.

Pomba Nova IDP Camp

There are currently 486 households in the camp, a school for approximately 200 students, and a health post. There are plans to expand the camp by constructing houses to accommodate an additional 400 households.

General information:

Location. Pomba Nova Camp lies approximately 20 km from Sumbe (approximately 10km on the Sumbe-Lobito Road which is asphalt and in good condition; then another 10 km north and east on earthen road to a hill ridge that runs parallel to the Cambongo River. Pomba Nova is situated 8 km South-east from Sumbe town center along the Sumbe-Seles link road. Note: These roads show evidence of erosion and gulleying.
Climate and soil. The mean annual precipitation of 400-600 mm falls in one season from mid-February to May/April. Rainfall varies greatly in time and space, and prolonged dry spells up to 15 days are frequent. High rainfall intensities are common, and with the predominantly sparse ground cover, serious soil erosion occurs during these periods. Soils vary from shallow to moderately deep sandy soils (with minimal organic matter content) to sandy loams of moderate fertility.
Population and land use. The location is sparsely populated with an IDP population of 510 families and 100 resident farmers. Agriculture in the zone is subsistence-oriented. Extended families of around 6-10 members have about 2-5 ha of land under cultivation. Land tenure is based on traditional distribution and allocation practices. Catete maize is grown on 80-90 % of the cultivated land, mostly undersown with cowpeas. Sesame, groundnuts and watermelons are also produced. Crop varieties used are short-cycle open-pollinated local varieties. Seed is mostly home-saved or procured from relatives, friends or neighbors.

Horticultural activities are sometimes found in the low-lying areas along the river bed of Cambongo River. Land relief limits exploitation of this river for irrigation purposes due to high initial capital outlay required to pump water.

Proposed Activities: SCF has proposed rehabilitation of 5 km of access road as part of the 2000 contract extension proposal.

Additional Background Reports and Data:

Republic of Angola, Round Table Conference of Donors, Kwanza Sul, Socio-economic profile, Rehabilitation Programme, 1995.

Knausenberger, W.I., et. al., Environmental Guidelines for Small-Scale Activities in Africa, Technical Paper No. 18, June 1996, Section 3.8 “Rural Roads.”

Site visit instructions

Facilitators:Fidele Djoda, SCF USA Sumbe Program Office

Wes Fisher, Tellus Consultant

Departure from Sumbe: 7:30 am

Instructions:

Before viewing the Pomba Nova Camp road and the proposed site for new road construction near the camp, the team will travel along a variety of roads, including those associated with Njata IDP Camp (see sketch map), looking for examples of construction and maintenance done well and done poorly.

At each site the team should attempt to discuss road issues with IDP camp representatives or others familiar with IDP camp road issues. Please make it clear at each site visited that you are only students and not there to propose a project. Make observations and ask questions, including, but not limited to, the following:

What is the road used for? How much and what kind of traffic in a given period and season? Determine when and how existing roads were constructed? What materials were used in construction. Who land does the road segment belong to and how was it obtained? Was any compensation provided? Economic status of local population (number of animals per family, other measures of income ….metal roofing, etc. Main occupations and during what time of year? Social systems and issues that may affect future road maintenance? Ask IDP residents to describe road related issues and problems, e.g., lack of access during rains, dust during the dry season, soil erosion, etc.

Ask the representatives to describe the nature of new or proposed road activities. Can future maintenance of roads be guaranteed, and, if so, how? Time involved. Costs?

What are the potential adverse environmental impacts of new or improved roads at the sites visited? During construction? Operation or maintenance? Are there potential secondary or tertiary impacts?

Try to anticipate what the sites will look like in 10 years. Twenty years? How can long-term adverse effects best be mitigated? What kinds of associated (ancillary) developments may be needed in the area, e.g., other feeder roads, schools, health posts, markets? What kinds of adverse impacts might these create? Before leaving the sites, have the team share findings and summarize the proposed or new activities and potential environmental impacts.

Working lunch

Eat lunch at the Pomba Nova site. Have the team share findings and summarize the proposed or new activities and potential environmental impacts. Prepare an environmental impact matrix as you are eating and discuss findings from review of both Njata and Pomba Nova roads. Formulate any additional issues/questions and conduct follow-up interviews with IDP villages at Pomba Nova.

Return to Sumbe

Leave Pomba Nova NLT 4:30 pm for return to Sumbe.

Facilitator’s Instructions and Questions Related to the Existing Roads

Before commencing the field visit, introduce participants to the concepts of camber, ditches, diversion channels/cross drains, culverts, soil types and road improvement materials and equipment used.
Also introduce participants to the use of road classification systems.
Show participants different classifications of roads. Stop several times and have the groups observe eroded areas and also roads done correctly. Include examples of cambered and uncambered road; road with and without ditches, road with proper diversion channels/cross drains and those without. Discuss the appropriate use of culverts.
Review soil types and the use of morum. Show examples.
If possible, show the participants examples of small borrow pits used to provide road material. Could borrow pits represent a potential health or safety hazard?
What happens if a road is not ripped during construction and maintenance? What happens if runout drains are not provided on sloping surfaces? What happens to a road with more than 8-10% slope. How can these problems be mitigated? Where does the water for compacting come from? How long do surface water diversion channels have to be? How often do they need to be installed? What methods and equipment are used for road maintenance? Where is it cost prohibitive to maintain a road segment(s)? How difficult or easy is it to reduce erosion?
To minimize environmental impact when should road work be done? What season? What time of day?
Do any of the roads create excessive dust? How could this be minimized? e.g., reduced maintenance or more curves in the road? Can the road be engineered to reduce vehicle speeds?
What is the correct procedure for “decommissioning” roads which are no longer used or which are being re-located? What is the approximate cost?
If possible, point out examples of secondary or tertiary effects from road construction and operation, e.g. stream siltation and gulleying.
Did any of the existing roads pass through especially sensitive ecological zones? Did any of the roads have potentially adverse effects on threatened or endangered species?
What happens if cross drains are not provided on sloping surfaces? What happens where the road has more than an 8-10% slope?
What may be the indirect or cumulative impacts of IDP camp road improvements in Kwanza Sul Province?

Planning and Design

What steps can be taken during design to minimize adverse environmental impacts? Design of road to follow contours? Soil testing? Selection and survey of borrow pit areas? Amounts available and plans for restoration/reclamation of quarry or borrow pit sites?

Construction

What equipment and materials will be used to minimize environmental impact and when should road work be done? What season? What time of day?
Will realignment/relocation require bush clearing? Any impact on threatened or endangered flora or fauna? Soil erosion? Creation of borrow pits/ Other secondary or tertiary effects such as stream siltation?
How can potential construction impacts best be mitigated?

Operation

What happens if the road is not ripped during construction and maintenance? How can these problems be mitigated? Where does the water for compacting come from? Implications?
Water needs? Soil erosion? Effects on threatened or endangered plants or animals? Dust? Noise?
Other secondary, tertiary effects such as stream siltation. Longer-term cumulative impacts?

Decommissioning or Abandonment

What is the correct procedure for “decommissioning” those segment of the existing roads which will no longer be used? What might be the approximate cost?

Case Studies:Road Improvement Activities