How do investments in rural roads affect people’s lives in the long term? In cooperation with the research institute AidData, the Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) is conducting a geospatial impact evaluation of the Liberia Swedish Feeder Roads Project (LSFRP) – one of Sweden’s largest infrastructure investments in Liberia.
Since 2009, the project has upgraded and maintained around 1,000 kilometers of roads in rural areas that for years were isolated due to conflict and poor infrastructure. The aim has been to improve access to markets, health services, and education, support local economic development, and strengthen national capacity for sustainable road maintenance.
The ongoing evaluation examines the project’s long-term effects on outcomes such as incomes, agriculture, food security, and democratic participation. By combining satellite imagery, geographic data, and household surveys, the study provides robust evidence on the conditions under which road investments contribute to sustainable and inclusive development. The findings are expected to generate valuable lessons for future Swedish development cooperation in infrastructure.
Read more in an article by Alex Wooley on AidData
Read a previous EBA report that evaluates Swedish development cooperation with Liberia in 2003-2020