What is an appropriate technology?

Many scientists and policy makers in developed countries often hold on to the idea that you can’t apply different types of technology to the same problem. In fact, this is often exactly what is needed, writes Sara Delaney.

At the launch of the book Science and Innovation for Development on 19 January, co-author Sir Gordon Conway said: “It doesn’t matter where the technology comes from, it matters that it is appropriate.”

Too often international development researchers, policy makers and practitioners get caught up in the source of a technology, and use this as the metric for whether it will be successful. The way a technology is designed, the country it comes from, the type of institution that produced it – while all important considerations – are not as important as whether the product is appropriate.

An appropriate technology is accessible, affordable, easy-to-use and maintain, effective – and most importantly it serves a real need.

For example, a rice seed that has been bred or engineered to mature faster can be appropriate anywhere the variety thrives. Local farmers have a need for such characteristics, regardless of whether the seed comes from local efforts or from global centres like the International Rice Research Institute.

Read Sara's full blog on the BBSRC food security website.  
 
Sara Delaney is the supporting author of the UKCDS publication Science and Innovation for Development, published in January 2010.