IMPACT EVALUATION OF DANIDA SUPPORT TO RURAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN NICARAGUA

Danida has been supporting the transport sector in Nicaragua through the sector programme PAST since 1999. This included support to rehabilitation and reconstruction of rural transport infrastructure. The overall objective of this support has been to contribute to poverty reduction through a general improvement of the socio-economic conditions in isolated rural communities by reducing transport costs and improving access to social services and economic and administrative centres.

In 2008, The Evaluation Department commissioned an impact evaluation with the objective of to assess the impact of the rural transport infrastructure interventions supported by PAST with regards to the beneficiaries socio-economic situation. Further, the objective is to assess whether capacity development and institutional change, as well as other prerequisites for sustainability, have been attained as part of the broader impact of the interventions. In addition, the evaluation assessed other intended and unintended impact areas, e.g. in relation to the environment. The evaluation combines quantitative and qualitative investigation in communities that have received PAST support as well as similar communities that have not received support.

Two studies were carried out in preparation for the evaluation in 2007: A data availability study and an “Overview and Synthesis of Road Sector Evaluations. Both studies can be downloaded here.