Asabiem Ghana Blueprint2

8/14/2019 Asabiem Ghana Blueprint2

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Generic Blueprint

for a sustainable village p rojec t

Prepared by

Myrtelle Chry, Urb.

Karyne Raym ond , Eng., mba

Presented to

POWERED BY ACTION

Andre P. Hughes

Trac ey PattersonChinwe Onyegoro

Date: December 26, 2oo8


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Statement

Third World urbaniza tion ha s often been fast, unplanned , and beyond the

c ontrol of the a pprop ria te a uthorities. Farmers migrate to the c ities, where

they hope to increase their income and secure a better future for their

family. The ensuing rap id urban growth - a c om b ined result of migrationsand na tura l increase - c rea tes such a pressure on the environm ent, the

pub lic services, and the urban infrastructures, tha t the c ities cannot possibly

integrate newcomers and be the driving force behind national

deve lop ment. To m ake huma n settlements hea lthy, sa fe, prosperous, and

susta inab le, Third World c ountries have to overcom e m ajor p rob lems, suc h

as po verty, unemp loyment, pollution, and lack of d ec ent housing.

One way to remed y the situation is to p reserve rura l life. How ever, this will

be possible only if we understand the cause and effect relationship

between rural and urban d evelopment. In other words, to red uce the ra teof rura l-to-urban migration in Africa , we must be a wa re o f wha t trigg ered it:

Unem ployment sta tus tha t fa rm w orkers often fac e; Difficulty to ob ta in bo th land a nd c red it; Plumb ing a nd elec trica l fac ilities, med ica l c linic s, schoo ls, and othe r

basic services are insuffic ient in rura l area s;

The advent o f telecom munica tion technolog ies, an easier access tohigher education, and the redefinition of women's role in society,

which have a ltered the consump tion pa tterns and soc ioc ultura l

a ttitudes towa rd urban lifestyles;

Industries and services being developed in cities and metropolitanareas;

Cities profiting more from economic globalization than rural areas;and

Soc iopolitica l insta bility, which c rea tes a fee ling o f insec urity in rura lareas.

We must always keep in mind that sustainable development will succeed

only if we manage to create strong socioeconomic ties between the

villages and the ir neighboring tow ns. The p resent doc ument is a g ene ric

b luep rint with key guide lines to a m ore effic ient rura l agglom eration

proposed to Powered by Action whose vision is to build self-sufficient

villages in order to eliminate poverty and contribute to a safer, more

eq uitab le and p rosperous wo rld .


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sta tem ent 3

1 - Genera l fea tures of the territory 4

2 - Potent ial land uses 5

3- The potential purposes of the land 7

4 - The land particularities 11

5 - Generic Tem pla tes (housing, pub lic eq uipment,

road)

12

6 - References a nd Sta tistics 14

7 - The b luep rint 20


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The m ain fac tors to c onsider when sta rting a Village projec t a re:

1. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE TERRITORY

1.1. Location: The work p lan shall be d efined ac cording to the loca tion o f

the te rrito ry. Dec isions rela ted to a c cess roa ds and infrastructuresare based on how close the village is to the ocean, a mountain

ridge, a large c ity, anothe r village, etc.

1.2. Surface area: The idea l pop ulation d ensity for long-term rural

deve lop ment is c a lcula ted in relation to the size o f the territory.

1.3. Soil: Knowing the make-up of the soil help identify potential

resources, and indicate what type of commercial operation could

prosper in the region (farming, mining, etc.).

1.4. Climate: General weathe r c ond itions de termine wha t types of c rop s

(coffee, rice, cotton, sugar cane), housing, and energy supply are

bette r suited for the region.

1.5. Water: Access to water is absolutely necessary to accomplish any

com me rc ia l or dom estic ac tivities.

1.6. Leftover equipment from previous urban development: Many tools

and machines can be refurbished, then used again in the new

Village Projec t.

1.7. Historic da tabase o f the land: It ma y conta in useful information ab out

the population movements, the natural resources (including those

that no longer exist), the soil submersion cycles (indicate sites

unsuitable for building), etc..

1.8. Demography: It is important to take into account the population

density and make sure tha t the site fo r the new village w ill answer the

needs of the residents. A we ll-chosen loca tion will enc ourag e rap id

human settlement, and facilitate sociodynamic and cultural

interac tion a mong the locals.


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2. POTENTIAL LAND USES

Depending on the results of the above research, any of the following

pote ntial land uses for rura l environm ent c ould be advisab le. (Note:If a

specific land use creates more than 30% of the region's total revenue,

we spea k of "primary land use".)

2.1. Forest Use2.1.1. If the territory has a vast fo rested area , all tree spec ies sha ll be

listed, and the possibility of rationally exploiting this natural

resource and its by-p rod uc ts sha ll be eva luated .

2.1.2. Wherever forest exploitation is deemed appropriate, controlsshall be established to ensure long-term management for

the se resources.

2.1.3. All wood residues shall be collected and used in lucrativeac tivities, such a s prod uc ing hand icraft, hom e utensils, etc .

2.2. Agricultural Use2.2.1. A territory deemed arable shall be officially zoned as

"permanent protected farmland", so that demographic

expansion will never be a threat to the farmers' livelihood.

Zoning regula tions sha ll protec t a ll area s whe re ve ge tab le a nd

livestock farming, fishing, beekeeping, aquaculture,

horticulture, etc ., are being p rac ticed .

2.2.2. Farming m anpow er and ac cess to a gricultura l tra ining sha ll beconsidered vital to the ma intena nce o f agricultura l business.

2.2.3. A modern and well-adapted irrigation system shall bedesigned and installed, and archaic watering techniques

gradually abandoned.

2.3. Com merc ial Use2.3.1. In the countryside, we see mostly small-scale family farms.

Grocery stores, construction trades, tailor shops, etc., are

scarce as there is no proper education system, and the locals

are poo r.

2.3.2. A b usiness will thrive within a villag e if : it supports another main local economic sector, such as

fa rming, tourism industry, etc . Sma ll family businesses and

various community initiatives should be encouraged, as


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they keep the locals employed and guarantee them a

la rge va riety of services; and

it is supported by an educational system that trains aliterate and specialized workforce. A few non-profit

organizations are presently training some villagers, who willsoon participate actively in building a self-sufficient

community.

2.4. Recreational Use2.4.1. Most African and Ca ribb ea n c ountries enjoy a p erfec t c lima te

for a flourishing tourist industry. Therefore, a villag e may

consider the possibility of establishing a program of activities

adap ted to its landscape (c oa stline, p la ins, mounta ins, etc .), in

order to get revenue. Spec ific rec rea tional eq uipme nt sha ll be

designed and p rovided to support this type of land use.

2.5. Industria l Use2.5.1. Som e set tlements, c a lled mono-industria l towns , a re built to

ac com mo date only miners and their fam ilies. While these

tow ns ma y bec om e very prosperous, they usua lly shut d ow n as

soon as there is nothing left to extrac t from the earth. We can

avoid this problem simply by taking a more global approach

to de velop ment, and propo se to the reside nts of m ining towns

a lternative w ays of earning a living .


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3. POTENTIAL PURPOSES OF THE TERRITORY (guidelines of the

Blueprint)

In order to establish long-term socioeconomic development in the

village , the village authorities and their soc ial developme nt p artners sha lldefine their global view of the village by setting up some guidelines that

are ba sed upon the assets and c onstraints of the territory. Safe

infrastructures, diversified public services, and inspired urban design, are

major contributing elements to a healthy economic emancipation of a

village.

Each of the potential purposes of a territory involves a series of tasks to

be accom plished . Based on their demog rap hic da ta , the villag e

authorities will choose the most appropriate purpose for their territory,

and determine how much financial support and human effort they are

prepa red to c ontribute to c a rry out every task.

3.1 Organizing the territory according to expected populationdensity and soc ioeconomic ac tivities

3.1.1 Com pile geodesic , demog rap hic and soc ioec onomic d ata forthe territory in order to determine the quantity, capacities and

types of infrastructures need ed

3.1.2 Com pile c omp arative d ata (dem ography, GDP, etc.) for citiesand regions adjacent to the territory, in order to establish

accurately their competition for resources

3.1.3 Classify land into six zones, identified by their use, and list theirresources, their potential use or need for protec tion

Agricultural zone Commercial zone(or sem i-comme rc ia l, if comb ined with

a residential o r institutiona l zone)

Residential zone (divided into sub-zones according topop ulation density/neighb orhood)

Institutional zone (schools, municipal or communitybuild ings, green spaces) Industrial zone Protected zone (vulnerable area or area with a building

constraint; political decision to preserve historical or

natural sites)

3.1.4 Develop a land settlement plan which identifies the m ain typesof oc cupanc ies of the territory (Sca les : 1 :20000/ 1 :5000)


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3.1.5 Develop a land settlement plan which identifies the uniquecha rac teristics of the te rritory (Sc a les: 1 :20000/ 1 :5000)

3.1.6 Develop a land settlement plan which identifies the stages ofterritorial development staggered over the next five years

(Sca les: 1 :20000/ 1 :5000)

3.2 Setting up agrarian reforms to ac hieve optimal use of the land3.2.1 Ident ify zones of a rab le land3.2.2 Distribute and allocate lands according to the diversified

needs

3.2.3 Develop an irrigation system for available water (possiblyincluding rain water collection), access networks, and

municipal equipment adap ted to the ag ric ultura l ac tivities3.2.4 Train and supp ort a c om pe tent w orkforce3.2.5 Build a partnership with organizations specialized in agrarian

reforms

3.3 Ac cess to drinking wa ter3.3.1 Identify available water sources (rivers, ground water, existing

wells)

3.3.2 Set up adeq uate w a ter trea tment system s (give p riority to a nec olog ica l system with low energy req uirem ents)

3.3.3 Set up ad eq uate and ac c essible wa ter co llec tion system s(we lls and wa ter pipes)

3.3.4 Op timize existing fac ilities within c lose rea ch3.3.5 Develop partnerships with organizations that specialize in

irriga tion and wa ste wa ter trea tment

3.4 Optimize the road network by planning for a strategic andcontrolled rural developm ent

3.4.1 Classifying the roa d netw ork based on the follow ing c riteria : Land usage: Residential, commercial, industria l, etc . Roa d function: c irc ulation and ac cess Debit : high debits (inter-regional roads); low debits

(sec ond ary and minor roa ds);

Speed : the speed p rog ression from m inor roa d to thesec ondary roa ds


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Typ es of vehic les : Truc ks, buses, ca rs Connec tion : will dep end on the roa d c lassifica tion

3.4.2 Categ orizing the ac cess roads by type of networks The main road ne twork must provide a connection

betw een the neighb oring villages and towns. It is

recommended that they be built by circumventing the

na tura l barriers, if nec essary, and on the shortest line

betw een two sett lem ents. Their height and width

clearance, as well as load capacity, must be suitable for

heavyweight vehicle traffic .

Sec ondary roads can follow the natural outlines of theterrain and connect to main roads via traffic circles, close

to c om merc ia l zones or pub lic spaces. Minor roads connect to residential neighborhoods and

farmland . Depending on the pop ulation density of a

quarter, the roads are classified by theirc lea ranc e, such as

to protect the aspect of privacy of residential

neighborhoods.

Footpaths are set up around pub lic spa ces, meeting p lac es,and tourist destinat ions. It is desirab le to connec t these

footpa ths to p rotec ted green spa c e.

3.4.3 All housing developments next to road networks must respecttheir outlines and clearances, as prescribed by the

development plan.

3.5 Organization of economic activities emphasizing socialaction

3.5.1 Set up training structures and com munity infrastructures for: Farme rs co-op s Develop ment of m icro-ente rp rises Recycling plants for raw materials(small and medium

scale)

Organization of agricultural food markets andhandicrafts

Barter system3.5.2 Develop infrastructures that will help establish commercial

connec tions with neighboring to wns.


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3.5.3 Identify workable mining sites and evaluate how thedevelopment of infrastructure inherent to their exploitation

would a ffect p ositively the loc al econom y

3.5.4 Develop partnerships with organizations that specialize intraining a nd setting up o f coope ra tives

3.6 Setting up essential services for the welfare of the localcommunity

3.6.1 Develop adeq ua te infrastruc tures for: Health services(clinics and pharmacies) proportional to the

size of population, which could complement those already

available in a neighboring region within a distance of 350 km,

to increase the service c ove rage

Trad itiona l ed uc ation servic es(Kindergarten, primary schools,sec ondary schools)

Spec ia lized ed uc a tion servic es (small trades, technicalschoo ls) tha t c an fulfill the need s for loc a l em ployment

Soc ial services (dispensary, orphanage, food bank, church,com munity cente rs and rec rea tion)

Public safety services (police, fire brigades, wastemanagement)

3.7 Localization, installations and set up services for therecreational areas

3.7.1 Identifying the sectors of interest in order to develop theadequate structures for a potential tourism industry

Parkland and promenad es around m arinas Spec ial transporta tion to rea ch d ifferent tourist sites (forests,

mounta ins, sa fari, bea c hes) Municipa l signa ge

3.7.2 Support to a ll loca l initiat ives tha t will significantly enhanc e thepotential tourist industry of the village: cultural projects, crafts

fair, sport tournament, etc


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4 THE LAND PARTICULARITIESThe p articula rities ma y be related to the m orpho log y of the land o r to

the socio-political profile of the communities who are sharing the

territory. But specifically, the land particularities, if well managed, will bedeterminant to the social and economic dynamic of the population

while highlight ing the a dded -value of the q ua lity of life in the village .

4.1 Spec ific reg ula tions sha ll be app lied on particular environm entaspects, such as:

Historic sites and monuments Religious sites and monuments Aesthetic references in housing design inspired by the

community cultural traditions

The w ild life and preservation o f its na tural environme nt Control of polluting elements (related to extensive farming,

mining activities and recreational activities near lake and

rive r shores

4.2 Spec ific regulations on the potent ial c onstraints of the land sha llbe a pp lied for the following them es:

Restric ted lots for pub lic uses (Governmenta l) Potent ial Floo d p lains Potent ial Earthq uake zones Shoreline

4.3 Other reg ulations for: Forest exploitations Animal farms Wells location and other irrigation systems (ex: earth basins) Loc a l ma terial uses for house c onstruct ion Defining the boundaries of urban development wherever

suitable

Spec ific sites for mobile houses


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5 GENERIC TEMPLATES5.1 Housing (suggestion)

Fig. 5.1.1 ELEVATION VIEW 1 floor House for family of 4

Recommendation: Rain water collected in gutters may be channeled to a water tank andlater used for showers, laundry and watering the lawn.

Fig. 5.1.2. Plan view - One floo r house surfac e: 950 sq .ft.


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5.2 Ac cess to water

100% irriga ble soils c an be irriga ted by loc al

source

Wate r availab le for more tha n 50% of irrigab le

soil

Wate r ava ilab le for 10% to 50% of irriga ble soil

Wate r ava ilab le for less tha n 10% of irrigab le

soil

Insufficient w at er for irrigation

Fig 5.2.1 Wate r ava ilab ility in Africa

Fig. 5.2.2 typ ica l we ll system for drinking wa ter


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5.3 Farming tec hniques in Darfour (Suda n) : exa mp le ofefficient irrigation systems ( by Practical-Action

technology)

In Darfour, an isola ted north-western province of Sudan with very

low rainfall but a dep endenc e on ra in-fed ag ric ulture,

Low impac t earth dam s

Constructed across gullies, earth dams can save thousands of litres of rain

water. Farm p lots nearby are irriga ted throughout the g row ing sea son. The

dams take around three months of manual labour, often by the women

who farm, to c omp lete.

Crescent terrac es

These te rraces a re lab our-intensive to c onstruct, but a re low-cost and a re

prove n to wo rk. Used for ce nturies, the te rraces collec t rainwa ter instea d of

letting it flow downhill. Crops like naturally drought-resistant millet can

survive the who growing season. Water and nutrient-filled soil that would

otherwise wash away is instead collected between raised earth strips,a llow ing plants to g row long er and he a lthier.


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Wadis

Wadis are earth basins that form a water-saving bowl. Rainwater flows from

the sides to the c entre of each p lanting bed . Each basin is surround ed by a

ridge of earth about 15cm high. In flat fields the basins are two metres

square they are smaller on sloping land. In fields with deep soil, farmers

use a hoe to b uild up w alls a round ea ch plot.


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6 REFERENCES AND STATISTICS

6.1 Measure units referenc e

1 ac re = 43,560 sq. ft1 m = 3.281 FT

1 m2 = 10.76 Ft2

1 m3 = 35.31 Ft3

1 mile = 1.6 km

1 sq . mile = 2.59 km2

1 hec ta re = 107,639 sq. ft 2.471 ac re

6.2 Water useDescription Statistic Units Sourc e

Sub -Saha ran Africa 6,956.6 m 3 / person / yea r World Resources

Institute

South Africa 1,048.2 m 3 / person / yea r World Resources

Institute

North Am erica 16,557.8 m3 / person / yea r World Resources

Institute

Unite d Sta tes 6,815.8 m3

/ person / yea r World ResourcesInstitute

Residential

consumption

30 to 80 Ga l/c ap ita/ day HLURB (1)

Co mm ercial 60 to 120 Ga l/c ap ita/ da y HLURB (1)

Hosp ita ls 200 to 400 Ga l/c ap ita/ day HLURB (1)

Ind ustria l 30 to 50 Ga l/c ap ita/ day HLURB (1)

Ag ric ultura l 5 m3 /

hectare/day


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6.3 School capac ity

6.4 Hea lth services

Desc ription Statistic Unit Source

Stud ent -Tea cher Ratio 16 : 1 stud ents/ tea c her Pub lic Sc hoo l Rev iewNumber of Stude nts

per c lass in Elementa ry

Schoo l

30/ 35 Eac h Ma ss dep t. of Educ ation

Numbe r of Stude nts

per c lass in High

Schoo l

25/ 30 Eac h Ma ss dep t. of Educ ation

Elem enta ry Sc hool Size 1,000 to

2,000

M2 (Min. 6 Max 18 classrooms)

High Sc hool Size 8,000 M2 (Min. 12 c lassrooms)

Description Statistic Unit Source

Doc to r 1 per 1,000 pop ulat ion HLURB (1)

Nurse 2 per 1,000 popula tion HLURB (1)

Emergency/Community

Hospital

1 per 1,000 Within a t lea st 35km HLURB (1)


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6.5 Municipality FunctionsDesc ription Statistic Unit Source

Churches: up to 400 me mb ers 0.40 Hec ta res HLURB (1)

Churches 1200 + members 1.60 Hec ta res HLURB (1)

Police Offic e 1 : 1,750 Offic e/ Pop ulation HLURB (1)

Police Offic er 1 : 1,000 Offic er/ Population HLURB (1)

Fire Dep t. dista nc e from

residents/ com merc ial zones

2.4 KM HLURB (1)

Neighbo rhood Park 6 M2 / person HLURB (1)

District or Co mm unity Pa rk 15 (2) M2 / person HLURB (1)

Fire Dept distance fromindustria l / a gricultural zone s

3.4 KM HLURB (1)

Fire Truc k 1 : 20,000 Truc k/ Pop ula tio n HLURB (1)

Fireman 1: 1,000 Fireman/ Popula tion HLURB (1)

Ce me teries g rave buria l 1.8 to 2.2 M2 HLURB (1)

Cemete ries typ ica l size 32 Hec ta res HLURB (1)


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6.6 Public equipm ents list (% of occupancy)1. Municipal eq uipments (1%)

1.1. Administration1.1.1. Tow n ha ll1.1.2. Police department1.1.3. Post office1.1.4. Fire d ep t

1.2. Waste s d isposa l site1.3. Pow er ce ntra l

2. Cultural equipments (2%)

2.1. Comm unity ce nter2.2. Theate r Music ha ll2.3. Historical building2.4. Public library

3. Sports equipments (1%)

3.1. Arenas3.2. Public po ol3.3. Sport fie lds (soc c er, basket ,,,)

4. Green spaces (5%)

4.1. Parks and p lay ground s4.2. Preserved zones

5. Educ ative equipments (2%)

5.1. Public primary schools5.2. Pub lic sec ond a ry sc hoo ls5.3. Tec hnica l sc hoo ls

6. Social equipments (5%)

6.1. Orphanages6.2. Hosp itals (eq uipp ed for minor

surgeries)

6.3. Clinics ( with ma ternity c entre)6.4. Food b anks6.5. Temp le / c hurc hes6.6. Cemetery

7. Other equipments (5%)

7.1. Wells / wa te r reservo irs7.2. Bus / train sta tions and parking lots7.3. Roa ds and e lec trica l grids7.4. Ma rket plac es and unloa ding

areas


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6.7 Road network standards

Fig. 6.7.1 Tab le of road c lassifica tion and sta nd ards


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7 The Blueprint (Refer to JPEG doc ument)

Genericblueprint

Plan A

PROPOSED URBAN DESIGN WITH ROAD NETWORK

Documents

Asabiem Ghana Blueprint2