Assessment of Productive Safety Net Program with Particular Emphasis on Public Work, (the Case Study of Two Kebeles in Lanforo Wereda, SNNPR)
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2008-06
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Abstract
The productive safety Net Program is the component of the larger food security program in Ethiopia. The
program (PSNP) has two key objectives namely preventing household asset and creating community assets
through public works. It is practiced in the rural parts of the major regions of Ethiopia. The study wereda,
Lanforo, started to benefit from the program since 2005.
Though there are reports for the contribution of the program to asset protection, there are also observed
problems particularly on the public works. These include poor quality of public works, maintenance problem,
work burden on female-headed households, low participation of both beneficiaries and non –beneficiaries in
the community work. Taking these problems into consideration, this paper aimed at assessing the PSNP with
particular emphasis on the public works.
This research is expected to shed some light on the PSNP particularly on the public work. It is important to
ensure the effectiveness and the sustainability of the public work that is the core component of the program.
This can be achieved by giving input to concerned bodies who work for the improvement of the program.
Furthermore, it can be a base for further research work.
The research was conducted in Lanforo wereda taking two kebeles namely Lanforo Gebaba and Tora Kikora.
They are taken as representative kebeles since they are located in one of the two agro- ecological zones in the
wereda. Moreover, these kebeles practice intensive public works. From these kebeles 125 sample households,
which is 13% of the total beneficiaries, was taken for the study.
The major findings of the research include that PSNP program has contributed to the protection of assets
(household assets, productive asset, and livestock assets) and creating community assets. Nonetheless, the study
made on the public works of the program especially on soil and water conservation practices indicated that
there are challenges of the public work that can threaten the sustainability of the work. According to the survey
result, most of the households were not involved during the selection of the public work. They also reported that
they did not regularly participate in the maintenance work and in the community work. In addition to the
beneficiaries, the participation of the non-beneficiaries to the community work is low.
Most of the respondents also indicated that they face problems like lack of equipments and lack of training and
follow up, absence of child health care, lack of first aid service. Since there is weak support given to femaleheaded
households, they are forced to shoulder work burden that have created problem in domestic work and
childcare. The study also revealed that most of the households stated payment related problems like late
payment, low amount compared to the public work. Besides, the existing type of the payment (cash only) is also
a problem for most of the respondents.
In general, the study shows that the PSNP has registered a positive result in asset protection and building.
Nonetheless, these results can be reversed unless measures are taken to solve the problems. Regarding the
public works, most of the works do not go in line with the principles and procedures of the program
implementation manual.
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Developmental Studies