Rural construction works: the impact on rural technological change

Abstract

Rural construction works of all kinds (roads, water development, food storage facilities etc.) are important elements in most rural development efforts. Moreover, as the construction process and the maintenance of rural works have a substantial employment potential it is often recommended that employment-intensive rural works programs become an element in employment oriented development strategies. How far such a recommendation is accepted depends on a large number of matters. The most important of these are: the objectives which the society in question expects to achieve by an increase in rural employment; the relative weight which these objectives are given vis a vis other objectives; the existence of alternative ways to create rural employment.