TOCANTINS SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

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The main objective of the Tocantins Sustainable Regional Development Project is to contribute to raising living standards and to reducing inequalities and regional disparities in Brazil by improving access to markets, job opportunities, infrastructure and social services for rural communities in Tocantins' poorest regions, while ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of fragile ecosystems. The project is comprised of three components. The participatory planning and management of regional and municipal development component will establish or strengthen mechanisms for local civil society participation; set up regional units of SEPLAN; and strengthen capacity to undertake multisectoral state-level planning, to administer public programs, and monitor/evaluate the performance of such programs. The environmental management component will: strengthen land management capacity; consolidate the environmental protection system; and support the regulation and promotion of sustainable land use. The rural transport improvement component will: (a) strengthen road management capacity, by ensuring the preparation, monitoring and evaluation of efficient state road programs, and gradually increasing the road maintenance capacity; (b) define and improve about 6,000 km of priority road sections of the main municipal road networks and improve about 120 km of high-priority state feeder roads including reconstruction of bridges and culverts, rehabilitation of road surfaces and bases, and paving; (c) promote cost-effective rural transport services, particularly school bus systems, and establish mechanisms to improve access of the rural poor to such services; and (d) provide support to the project coordination unit.