Rural Development Programme (RDP)
KfW Entwicklungsbank

In Myanmar, both passenger travel and goods traffic is conducted mostly via the road network. However, besides of few major highways many roads are neither asphalted nor in good condition and especially in rural areas infrastructure is very poor. Therefore, people living in remote areas have very limited access to the regional and national road network and are unable to reach schools, healthcare facilities or markets. Roads which are passable all year round can provide the rural population access to all these institutions and are a prerequisite for the development of rural regions.

German Financial Cooperation amounts to EUR 36.903 million grants have been committed by the German Government via KfW Development Bank to support the repair of rural roads in the Southern Shan State in order to provide the rural population with an all year access to economic centres and the national road network.

On behalf of the German Government, KfW supports the upgrading and the maintenance of selected rural roads so that they are passable all year-round. Many of the existing roads were built without the required drainage infrastructure or were not maintained during the last years. Others have to be raised on a higher level and strengthened so they cannot be eroded and washed away by rain or floods during the rainy season.

The Department of Rural Roads Development (DRRD) within the Ministry of Construction is responsible for road construction and maintenance in rural areas in Myanmar. Hence, the DRRD is the partner of KfW Development Bank for the Rural Development Programme.

DRRD plans the rehabilitation of the selected roads, issues tenders for the various construction projects, reviews the bids and awards the contracts. The programme is designed as a “learning-by-doing” project. Experts accompany the staff of the DRRD so that they can learn how to implement international projects. This experience helps DRRD staff to plan, award and supervise construction projects autonomously in the future.

Furthermore, with the support of KfW, DRRD will develop and implement a preventive maintenance system.

The rural population in remote areas in Southern Shan State