Intermediate Equipment Handbook
Intech Associates
FOREWORD
A country’s road network can be compared with our own arteries, in that they both ensure
that the very life-blood, of the country or body, is able to flow freely and efficiently.
Unfortunately, if either the arteries or the roads are not maintained satisfactorily, life and
business slows down dramatically, or at worst stops altogether. All of you who travel widely
will recognise, only too well, the effects of poor road maintenance, leading to delays,
increased vehicle wear and damage, reduced access and services, and the inability of the
country to enable the effective and safe transport of their people and goods to market.
The lack of available funds are often given as a major reason for the poor level of road
maintenance in many countries, but this ‘excuse’ is often based on the incorrect assumption
that the work always requires the use of large and expensive equipment and methods.
Complex and advanced technology often also requires that the necessary expertise and
management have to be sourced externally, resulting in the necessary skills not being
developed within the country itself. For minor roads and tracks the use of purely labour based
maintenance methods is often seen as the only affordable alternative solution, but the increase
in both frequency and size of modern traffic, now dictates the need for a more viable and
appropriate technology based approach.
Through their long experience and knowledge, the author and contributors of the ‘Handbook
of Intermediate Equipment’ have demonstrated that there is now a very viable and effective
alternative to having to rely on the use of heavy/expensive equipment, or solely on labour
based methods. Proven technology and methods designed principally around affordable
agricultural tractors and intermediate equipment, ensure that local contractors, with the right
support, can now not only compete for local road construction and maintenance contracts, but
also diversify their operations into supporting agricultural and transport needs in their region.
The ‘win win’ situation is that both the country and local people can benefit through
increased employment and income generation, as well as improved roads and local
agricultural efficiency.
This Handbook provides an essential reference for not only local contractors, and
entrepreneurs, but also for governments and development agencies, in order to plan and
introduce practical, affordable and sustainable, rehabilitation and maintenance programmes
for their country’s rural road systems.
Malcolm Cutler
Managing Director
FSC Development Services Co Ltd.
International Coordinator, Institution of Agricultural Engineers, UK
October 2012
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