Appropriate technology in two-thirds world development : can New Zealand agencies benefit from adopting appropriate technology? : a report with a focus on water resources development in rural Africa

Abstract

This report investigated approaches New Zealand non-governmental development agencies take to water resources development in rural Africa. This research was undertaken to consider whether or not Appropriate Technology would be a useful model for water resources development, and how Appropriate Technology could be effectively adopted by New Zealand agencies. Research was carried out through literature reviews, and a survey of New Zealand agencies.

It is concluded that there would be advantages in New Zealand agencies incorporating Appropriate Technology in their approach to development work. There is a role for technology in development. By explicitly adopting Appropriate Technology, agencies would acknowledge this role while recognising the need for technology to be compatible with the social, cultural, ecological, economic, political and institutional contexts. Appropriate Technology is a context-specific approach to technology which allows communities to define their needs, and ensures techniques are developed which lead to community self-reliance.

However, it is recognised that Appropriate Technology is not capable of solving all problems associated with water resources development in rural Africa. It is therefore important that agencies continue their advocacy, lobbying and education work both within New Zealand and overseas.

It is recommended that New Zealand agencies adopt the rhetoric of Appropriate Technique rather than Appropriate Technology as this places greater emphasis on skills, processes and methods rather than on finding a 'technological fix'. This report has begun to develop criteria for appropriate techniques. However, further research is required to relate these criteria specifically to water resources development in rural Africa and to take account of issues and problems in project implementation. Therefore, this report outlined a research framework for developing the Appropriate Technique criteria and for assisting agencies in adopting and implementing an Appropriate Technique approach. It is considered that this research could be undertaken by postgraduate students as well as agency workers. There are five stages to the research framework, namely:

• Stage One: Detailed analysis of water resources projects; • Stage Two: Discussion and adoption of Appropriate Technique criteria; • Stage Three: Research of initiatives in Appropriate Technology; • Stage Four: Developing community participation methods; and • Stage Five: Developing long-term evaluation methods.

RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that New Zealand agencies: • adopt the term Appropriate Technique rather than Appropriate Technology; • incorporate criteria relating to Appropriate Technique in their policies and project selection processes; • implement the research framework developed in this report; and • commit themselves to improving community participation methods and to carrying out long-term project evaluation.