Safe and sustainable transport for rural communities
Safe and sustainable transport for rural communities

Rural Access is Vital

Transport is fundamental to economic growth and the delivery of basic services. Low volume roads are the principal form of transport in the rural parts of most low-income countries. People require access to reach basic services and all kinds of economic and social opportunities. However, an estimated one billion people live further than 2 km from an all-season road. Isolated communities are often left behind in development.

The overall objective of the UK aid-funded Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) is to improve accessibility of the rural poor in Africa and Asia to economic opportunities and social facilities through improvements to infrastructure and transport. The immediate focus is on strengthening the evidence base on more cost effective and reliable low volume road and transport services approaches, thereby influencing policy and practice. ReCAP focuses its activities on Africa and Asia, through the Africa (AfCAP) and Asia (AsCAP) Community Access Partnerships respectively, and builds on previous UK aid-funded research programmes. 

Rural Access is Vital

We are pleased to announce that ReCAP has been granted a three-month extension that will run until 14 December 2020. During this three-month period the programme will focus on the following:

  • Implementation of COVID-19 Response & Recovery Transport Fund approved projects that can be implemented within three months.
  • Updating of the ReCAP Final Report and enabling activities for FCDO to conduct the Annual/Final Programme Review.
  • Preparation of ReCAP case studies from ReCAP partner countries demonstrating impact and lessons learnt.
  • Safeguarding of key programme assets like the Rural Access Library by means of identifying future hosts and transfer of assets.
  • Updating the ReCAP Exit Strategy including reaching out to stakeholders to engage, consult and agree handover.
  • Organisation of a final (virtual) ReCAP dissemination event.
  • Maximising programme results, sustainability and impact through enhanced capacity building and dissemination of ReCAP research evidence.

We would furthermore like to take the opportunity to announce some changes in the ReCAP Programme Management Unit (PMU) as of 14 September 2020:

  • Tracy Lane (Cardno Nairobi) will take over from Dave Runganaikaloo as ReCAP Programme Director.
  • James Evans (Cardno Emerging Markets (UK) Ltd) will take over from Daniel Ackers as ReCAP Programme Manager.

Their contact details are available here.

The ReCAP Team

Back to top