The "Community Based Track Design Manual: Volume 1 - Community Development" provides guidelines for forming, training, and legally registering Community-Based Organisations to manage Village Access Roads projects, ensuring sustainable infrastructure, local employment, and enhanced access to markets, health, and education services.

Summary​:

The "Community Based Track Design Manual: Volume 1 - Community Development" focuses on empowering rural communities through the establishment of resilient Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) capable of managing and maintaining Village Access Roads investments. Authored by Ted Johnson, James Clarke, Krijn Peters and Martin Tarkpor, the manual provides comprehensive guidelines for a community-driven approach to infrastructure development, particularly in upgrading rural footpaths to motorcycle-accessible tracks or Village Access Roads. The manual highlights the socio-economic benefits of such projects, including enhanced market access, improved health and education facilities, and increased employment opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups like subsistence farmers, women, and youths. The CBOs play a critical role in mobilizing local labour, sourcing materials, and overseeing construction, ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of the intervention. The manual also emphasizes the importance of gender mainstreaming and environmental considerations, aiming to mitigate potential negative impacts while maximizing community benefits. Through practical training, legal registration of CBOs, and the establishment of community savings schemes, the manual aims to create a replicable model for rural development that can be adopted as a sector standard by regulatory bodies. The first volume's integration with the technical aspects detailed in Volume 2 ensures a holistic approach to rural infrastructure development.