Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions
Conference Track: Society
& Technology
Selection1:
Paper
Language:
English
Keywords:
Poverty, Economic strategy, Sustainable construction practices
Contact Title:: Mr.
Contact First Name: Mukalula
Contact Last Name: Peter
Mwansa
University:
Copper belt University
Web:
http://www.cbu.edu.zm
Position:
Lecturer
Country:
Zambia
Email:
mukalulap@cbu.ac.zm or musomuko@yahoo.com
Fax:
Telefax:+260-2-225086
Selection:
Definitely YES
Submit:
Submit
Date:
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Time:
04:58:29 AM
Abstract Title:
POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY - THE CASE OF
ZAMBIA'S RURAL AREAS
Abstract:
About 73% of the Zambian population is said to live below the
poverty line of US$1 per day. The
Zambian government, in collaboration with multilateral donors undertook to
prepare a comprehensive strategy to stimulate growth and create
employment. In tackling
poverty, economic growth was the key vehicle for growth stimulating
interventions expressed in major economic sectors such as agriculture,
education and health. The
construction industry, as a tool that translates policy into realities of
buildings and infrastructure services, has been used to try to improve the
livelihood of the people. However,
the growing reality is that despite the use of this costly intervention in
rural areas, there is evidence of failure in adequately targeting the poor
and the vulnerable by inappropriate budgetary locative patterns that have
generally biased resources against pro-poor interventions, weak
integration of the poor, particularly small-scale farmers in the market
and weakness in g!
governance in both the economic and political dimensions.
However, through the adoption of sustainable construction practices
in Zambia's comprehensive strategy, alleviation of poverty could be a
reality. There is an
imbalance in the application of indigenous construction technologies and
conventional construction technologies.
The study showed that rural areas are forced to adopt technologies
that are not energy threatening to the environment on a large scale.
Mailing Address:
Copper belt University
School Of Built Environment
Department
P O Box 21692
Kitwe