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close this bookSpecial Public Works Programmes - SPWP - Planting Trees - An Illustrated Technical Guide and Training Manual (ILO - UNDP, 1993, 190 p.)
close this folder8. Organizing the work
View the document(introduction...)
View the document8.1 Planning
View the document8.2 Workforce
View the document8.3 Labour requirements over the year
View the document8.4 Worknorms
View the document8.5 Coordinating the work
View the document8.6 Tools and equipment
View the document8.7 Supervision and control
View the document8.8 Records to keep

8.4 Worknorms

A worknorm is the time it normally takes to carry out a certain operation. In forestry worknorms are usually expressed as the number of days of work (8-hours per day) needed to complete a certain task for 1 hectare. Worknorms are necessary for planning labour requirements but also for budgeting and for determining wages if piecework or task work are used (see section 9.3).

The worknorms for different planting operations differ widely and it is impossible to establish general worknorms. The time needed for planting work depends among other things on site conditions, the number, type and size of plants, the distance to the road, the quality of work required, tools and techniques, and the workforce (training and motivation). They can also differ because the effective workday may be shorter or longer than the standard 8 hours.

In light soil, for example, one worker may dig 80 holes in one day, while if the soil is stony and difficult he may be able to dig only 30.

The number of workdays needed per hectare also depends on the spacing chosen, i.e. the number of plants per hectare.

Examples of worknorms given on the opposite page might be used as a reference for initial planning. These worknorms originate from large-scale plantation and do not include stafftime.

Every large-scale planting project should establish its own worknorms in order to be able to plan in the best possible way.

As a minimum, productivity (wd/ha) should be calculated from the records of the previous season (numbers of hectares planted: workdays for each operation). Where possible, norms should be calculated separately for different conditions (dense and wide spacing; slope and flat terrain, etc.). Even better are direct observations in the field.

Worknorms (workdays/ha)

Worknorms (workdays/ha)

China, afforestation on steep slopes (15-30 degrees), bare-rooted seedlings, mostly poplars, spacing 2 x 2 m, 2,500 pl/ha


Malaysia, pine plantation, spacing 3.5 x 5 m, 700 pl/ha


Site preparation


Site preparation


Terraces

135-240

Pegging

2-11.4

Planting holes

210

Planting


Contour ridges

45

Potted plants (including digging of holes

20-35

Planting

60

Stumps

2.4

Seed treatment and sowing

30

Replacement planting

1.5-24

Maintenance


Weeding

13.7-29.6

Weeding

45

Total

37.2-100

Prevention - mice, disease and insects

45

Nigeria, moist lowland forest, spacing 8 x 8 m, 156 pl/ha


Protection from grazing

45

Clearing

11.4

Total (terraces, planting and maintenance)

382

Collecting pegs Pegging

1.94

Rwanda, SPWP, 1,000 pl/ha




Pegging

2

Carrying (containerized seedlings - depot to site with headpans)

2.3

Planting

52

Planting


Total

54

Potted plants (including digging of holes)

5.7



Stumps

1.2-2 hour/ 100 stumps



Weeding Total

3.5-14.5




28.8-38.8

1) Yingmin, W. 1985. A report on worknorms and operational efficiency in soil and water conservation and planting of trees and fodder crops in Xiji County, Ningxia Hui Autonomus Region China. Proceedings of an International Workshop held at Olmotony, the United Republic of Tanzania, 14-27 January 1985. ILO.

(2) Information from a Special Public Works Project

(3) FAO. 1975. Plantation management procedures for large-scale plantations in penisular Malaysia.

(4) Allison C.E. & Egbuta L.U.. 1982. Standard times for operations in forest plantations in Nigeria. FAO.