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An ability to prepare, recover and adapt to frequent climatic variation is called "Climate resilience." climate change now places additional pressure on the cattle industry, particularly in developing nations, which threatens the livelihood of small farmers. In 2013 "Food and Agriculture Organization" reported that the livestock sector accounts for nearly one-third of agricultural gross production value globally. There are higher possibilities of the effective implications of sustainable intensification in the livestock production systems to determine production pathways that are more sustainable and productive with a minimum negative impact on the environment. The paper discusses the systematic review mingled with qualitative text analysis to explore the interrelation between sustainable intensification and resilient climate practices, specifically towards the livestock production system. The data for systematic review was taken from Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases from 1995 till 2020, with total screened 94 articles in the final selection. The study's results revealed that all approaches involving environment-friendly practices with higher production efficiency, resource use efficiency and reachable to every farmer were considered sustainable intensification. The relevance of this sustainability analysis to climate resilience is illustrated by considering different types of livestock systems with concerned practices. So, the inclusion of appropriate technology in an appropriate system will open the door for sustainable intensification in the face of a Climate-Resilient livestock production system and finally lead the farming community towards sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantitatively reviewed the literature related to SDG 11 (Sustainable Development Goal 11) between 2015 and 2022 using bibliometric and spatial autocorrelation methods. The results showed that the amount of SDG 11-related literature increased annually since 2015, with an accelerated growth after 2018. The collaborations among countries, institutions, and authors of SDG 11-related literature were identified, with some major authors and institutions acting as links Keyword cluster and timeline analysis indicated that 'Agenda 2030', 'appropriate technologies', and 'country' were the main clusters of research, while 'management,' 'climate change,' and 'impact' were the most popular keywords, and 'urban plan nexus,' 'social cooperation,' and 'renewable energy' were the emerging keywords since 2021. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that countries with more SDG 11-related literature were dispersed geographically. In the Getis-Ord G* analysis, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom were identified as hotspots; whereas Africa and Central Asia were identified as cold spots. To ensure timely implementation of the SDG 11, this study recommends helping less developed countries, resolving sustainable urbanization issues through innovative technology, and promoting more effective planning. It not only attempts a novel approach of using spatial statistics to analyze the bibliometric results but also provides valuable information for policymakers and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, countries in the Global South—notably South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia—are introducing material transfer agreements (MTAs) into their domestic laws for the exchange of scientific material. The MTA is a contract securing the legal transfer of tangible research material between organizations such as laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, or universities. Critical commentators argue that these agreements in the Global North have come to fulfill an important role in the expansion of dominant intellectual property regimes. Taking Indonesia as a case, this article examines how MTAs are enacted and implemented differently in the context of research involving the Global South. Against the conventionally understood forms of contract that commodify and commercialize materials and knowledge, the MTA in the South can be understood as a legal technology appropriated to translate a formerly relational economy of the scientific gift to a market system of science. As a way of gaining leverage in the uneven space of the global bioeconomy, the MTA functions as a technology for 'reverse appropriation', a reworking of its usage and meaning as a way of countering some of the global power inequalities experienced by Global South countries. The operation of this reverse appropriation, however, is hybrid, and reveals a complex reconfiguration of scientific exchange amidst a growing push for 'open science'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, blockchains and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) are posed to impact economic futures and urban governance. New forms of human settlement are emerging as a result of and in service to cryptocurrency, curiously concentrating in areas with colonial ties such as Latin America and the global South. Technologists and those who can pay them are largely driving these discourses and decisions forward, while regulators and regular citizens struggle to catch up. If the buzz around blockchain opens the power to dream new techno-economic futures, who has the power and privilege to dream? This paper explores the intersection of digital technology with alternative economic visions in Puerto Rico, using principles of commoning and cooperativism in contestation to venture capitalism, US imperialism, and new crypto-colonialism. We echo Hardt and Negri (2017: 111) in calling advocates for alternative economies to "immerse ourselves into the heart of technologies and attempt to make them our own against the forces of domination that deploy technologies against us." The goals of this collaborative research are to inform more equitable tech policy legislation in Puerto Rico, to caution against potential co-optation and techno-fixes, and to establish frameworks for cooperative experimentation using digital technologies including DLTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capitalist progress implies the destruction of the old and uncompetitive sectors and the creation of new ones in their wake. However, in the Global South the loss of jobs in the older sectors is not necessarily offset by the new forms of employment. The objective of this paper is to critically examine how the vast employment in the Indian handloom sector could be sustained, given the competitive pressures from alternative technologies and products. Rather than allow the sector to be a victim of capitalist progress, this paper on moral economy grounds offers an alternative approach, which is to boost the demand for handloom products through commercial branding but one that is rooted in cultural valorization of artisanal craft. This strategy, complementary to state provisioning of subsidized inputs, comes at the expense of authenticity but is expected to enhance consumption and sustain livelihoods in the handloom sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerous consequences of climate change worldwide have precipi- tated research efforts to realise sustainable development goal 13 (SDG 13). SDG 13 has recommended mitigation and adaptation strategies to combat climate change, and many of these can be achieved using emerging technologies. Research has shown the efficacies of information communication technologies (ICTs) in mitigat- ing and adapting to climate change. However, the selection and ranking of ICT tools for mitigating and adapting to climate change is a multicriteria problem. This paper presents a multicriteria framework that identifies and ranks the various ICT tools that can ensure climate change mitigation and adaptation. A fuzzy-technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution method is used as the basis of this model and tested using information obtained from an expert. The results show that the most ideal ICT alternative is social media with a closeness coefficient of 0.62, while the least preferred alternative is the intelligent system with a closeness coefficient of 0.17. The proposed model can be used in the planning of climate change adaptation strategies in developing countries where finances are usually a major constraint in implementing climate change action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although briquetting is an appropriate technology for the production of renewable energy, its widespreadness in Southeast Asia is limited. Especially due to the high initial investments and energy consumption of a high-pressure briquetting press. However, manual low-pressure briquetting presses (operating pressure <5 MPa) can represent a relevant alternative, regarding to their ease of use and modest energy consumption. The aim of the present research was to develop and verify a manual wooden low pressure briquetting press with a square-shaped pressing chamber, piston and a single lever as a pressing unit. In practice, press was designed, manufactured, and verified by successful bio-briquette samples production. Four different feedstock mixtures were prepared from coconut mesocarp fibre (CF), bamboo skin (BS), pineapple leaves (PL), sugarcane bagasse (SB); each mixed with external binding agent (wastepaper) in biomass:binder ratios of 1:1 and 2:1. The achieved bulk density ρ ranged from 204.30 ± 15.73 kg m−3 for 1:1 feedstock mixtures and 199.31 ± 23.13 kg m−3 for 2:1 feedstock mixtures. The press efficiency, feasibility and practicability were positively evaluated within their possible utilisation in rural areas of developing countries. The importance of research increases constantly due to the worldwide need for a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, proper waste management, and reduction of environmental and health risks related to improper treatment of waste materials. The final idea of the article contributes to the development of the sector of clean green energy production, simultaneously with raising awareness about sustainable technologies for proper waste management within the wide public. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can play an important role in the national economy of developing countries. The adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) has enabled local SMEs to participate in the international market. However, little research has addressed issues related to SMEs adopting ICTs, especially in rural areas of Middle Eastern developing countries such as Saudi Arabia. Using the extended technology-organization-environment framework with personal innovativeness, this study examined the factors that influence the adoption of ICTs among SMEs in rural areas of Saudi Arabia. The study found that relative advantages, top management support, culture, regulatory environment, owner/manager innovativeness and ICT knowledge had a significant relationship with ICT adoption among SMEs in Saudi Arabia, whereas compatibility, complexity and a competitive environment had no significant relationship with ICT adoption. The findings of this study will potentially help SME managers/owners and the Saudi government in the successful adoption and diffusion of ICT in SMEs located in rural areas in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate technology for sustainable development in developing countries should consider comprehensive societal aspects of the target area and, at the same time, ensure target areas are capable of sustainable transformation. However, appropriate technology has mainly been approached from the engineering or technological aspects, thus becoming a short-term or one-time technology transfer or, despite the social science approach, it has no definite theoretical background. For successful and sustainable appropriate technology activities, appropriate technology should be approached theoretically. Therefore, this study applies the theory of grassroots innovation to appropriate technology, examines how the concepts of grassroots innovation based on local community units can relate to appropriate technology activities in developing countries, and analyzes a case of appropriate technology activity to show that future appropriate technology activities should involve grassroots innovation. The results show that the principles of grassroots innovation underlie successful appropriate technology projects. • Sustainability of appropriate technology can be grounded on a grassroots innovation. • The concept of strategic niche management is applied to appropriate technology. • Context, driving force, niche, organizational form, and resource base are common constructs of the framework. • The case of Laos identifies the relationship between appropriate technology and grassroots innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humanitarian engineering continues to grow in popularity among professionals in engineering as well as aspiring students. In response, The Ohio State University offers a variety of engineering service-learning trips and humanitarian engineering courses for students. Such experiences and coursework provide an invaluable experience for engineering students looking to enter the global economy. Provided is an overview of these programs at Ohio State and details of a new course focused on creating appropriate technology for people in developing countries (called FABENG 5200). Justification for the course as well as details of its structure are outlined. Included are aspects of the entrepreneurial mindset, human-centered design, as well as political, cultural, and economic factors that greatly affect the ability of a solution to reach scale. Teaching this complex topic involves lectures, readings from books and journal articles, hands-on labs, and guest speakers. An important aspect of FABENG 5200 is the integration of a teambased design-build project along with a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) partner invested in the student projects. Projects range from improving hand pumps to satellitebased remote monitors that collect usage data to improve sustainability. Models and prototypes are fabricated and incorporated in a cumulative business pitch to the NGO partner at the end of the semester. The authors describe this innovative class and hope to inspire future generations of humanitarian engineers to help solve the world's greatest challenges using an entrepreneurial mindset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste-based briquettes can be an alternative option that can foster the reduction of waste inflow into final disposal sites and introduce alternative energy sources for cooking and heating in rural areas. In particular, the assumption of waste-based briquettes in Andean areas can be of higher potential, due to the lack of biomass sources locally available and the low environmental temperature that increases the requirements of heating systems. The current research would provide a contribution to the scientific literature by introducing a combustion analysis at 3300 m above the sea level for comparing the thermal efficiency and emissions of sawdust and cardboard waste-based briquettes with conventional firewood for heating and cooking purposes. Laboratory tests were carried out for estimating five combustion efficiency parameters, as well as CO, CO 2 , and PM2.5 emissions. Results suggested that 80% cardboard and 20% sawdust briquettes increase the boiling time of water by about 30–50% compared to firewood, due to the lower combustion power (−44%). On the other hand, the thermal efficiency increases of about 10–13%, while biomass consumption and energy consumption per minute decrease by about 27% and 44%, respectively. In addition, emissions reduce compared to firewood, from 32.6 g CO kg−1 to 22.9 g CO kg−1 and from 1260 mgPM2.5 kg−1 to 933 mgPM2.5 kg−1. On balance, the research demonstrates that non-recyclable cardboard waste obtained from separate collection and discarded sawdust from sawmills can be employed for briquettes production as alternative fuels for heating systems in Andean rural areas, contributing to reducing waste final disposal and boosting circular systems. • Firewood and cardboard waste-based briquettes combustion evaluations are conducted. • 20% sawdust - 80% cardboard waste briquettes achieved higher thermal efficiency. • PM2.5 emissions are considerably lower for 80% cardboard waste briquettes. • Cardboard based briquettes can be a potential alternative fuel for the Andean area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kenya is classified among the fastest developing economies in Sub Saharan Africa. To sustain this growth, energy is seen as a key 'enabler' to oil its new long-term development blueprint, Vision 2030, which intends to transform the economy into a middle income country status and a newly industrialized economy. Yet, the recent energy generation capacity is faced with high growing demand, unreliability, and high cost. Applying Sequential Malmquist Index (SMI), the study examines dynamics of productivity of Kenya's hydro and thermal power plants over the 2013–2020 period. We then employ a Tobit regression method to analyze the influence of environmental factors on changes in the productivity index. The empirical findings show that regress in hydro productivity is mainly caused by the technical efficiency change index (TECI). Besides, productivity for thermal plants improved due to the technology change index (TCI). The SMI provides an appropriate estimate for the share of TCI than the conventional Malmquist index for both plants. The estimates from the regression technique highlight that the life of plants, size, rainfall variation influence hydro SMI changes, and fuel type, life, size also affect thermal SMI changes. Targeted policy implications are provided for future development and operations of power plants. • We examine hydro and thermal productivity changes and their determinants in Kenya. • The technical efficiency change index mainly causes the regress in hydro-productivity. • Technological change had more effect on thermal plants' productivity improvement. • Sequential Malmquist provides appropriate estimate for technology index than the traditional technique. • Environmental factors significantly affect the changes in productivity of both plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many developing countries, inadequate access to safe drinking water is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, approximately 100 million people worldwide are exposed to arsenic (As) in drinking water. The World Health Organization is thus now encouraging the development and supply of a low-cost technology that can treat domestic water. The present study combined the use of a trickling filter (TF) with a biosand filter (BSF). Additionally, to remove As (V) from water, the use of the absorbents Fe–Mn–Si (FM-α) and zero-valent iron was experimentally investigated. Different compositions of influent were supplied in five stages. Efficiency was analyzed in terms of the total organic carbon, turbidity, UV 254 , As (V) content, flux, power consumption, total solids, and volatile solids of samples taken from four treatment systems (M-1: membrane, M-2: BSF + membrane, M-3: TF + membrane, and M-4: TF + BSF + membrane). Results show that the removal of organic matter and decline in flux over 45 d reduced in the order M-4 > M-2 > M-3 > M-1. The combination of TF, BSF, and M-4 was shown to have the most stable operation even under shock loading. The biofilm of the BSF and sieving effect played an important role in reducing the content of organic matter. The recovered flux of M-1 decreased and the M-1 membrane was backwashed four times. In comparison, M-3 required backwashing four times, M-2 required backwashing once, and M-4 did not require backwashing during operation. The M-4 system removed 95% of organic matter without any cleaning of the top soil throughout the experiment and reduced turbidity by 99%. Between systems M-1 to M-4, the most effective system was M-4 because of its stable operation without backwashing of the membrane throughout the experimental period. The M-2 system with FM-α embedded in the layers of sand removed 77% of As (V), while the M-4 system, using zero-valent iron adsorbents, removed 97% of As (V). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate technology has emerged as a critical driver for sustainable development in developing countries where a massive population depends on small and medium-sized businesses. Appropriate technologies are energy-efficient, which corresponds to environmental sustainability. The benefits of appropriate technology may range from providing economic sustainability for availing affordable solutions in a resource-constrained environment to promoting social sustainability by fostering inclusivity of marginalized sections of the society. However, the appropriateness, which is the perceived quality of appropriate technology, largely remains unaddressed in prior research. Therefore, the current study proposes a framework to explore determinants of appropriateness and examine the interplay among them anchored on resource mobilization theory. Four case organizations of a developing country are empirically analyzed to obtain appropriateness factors from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, namely, enterprises, developers, and users. Next, a decision-making technique is applied to derive the cause-effect relationship between the identified factors. The results contribute five factors of appropriateness: technological, socio-economic, organizational, market, and environment to the literature on appropriate technology. The former three factors induce the latter two factors of appropriateness. Understanding the interplay among the indicators from a multi-stakeholder perspective assists the policymakers in facilitating the adoption of appropriate technologies at the grassroots level to achieve sustainable development goals in developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The burden of hearing impairment and disability is substantial in the developing world. This review outlines the associated need for amplification devices in low and medium income countries and some of the initiatives that have been taken to improve access to such devices, particularly hearing aids. The main observed barriers to access are listed and possible ways to improve access are considered. Methods: Prevalence estimates for disabling hearing impairment are reviewed and a number of national and international examples of initiatives to facilitate use of hearing assistive devices in low and medium income countries are provided. Technologies that are potentially appropriate for hearing instruments in developing countries are suggested, as well as fitting programs that are more likely to be maintained over the long term. Results: Challenges to successful hearing instrument fitting in low and medium income countries are many. However, some programs point the way to improved access to such devices. Successful hearing aid fitting programs in developing countries have typically combined appropriate technology with a sustainable local support base. Conclusions: With a rising middle class in many developing countries, advances in technology, and ongoing training programs for those involved in amplification fitting, hearing device usage rates may eventually reach parity with those in developed economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Shortage of electricity supply and other forms of modern energy is serious in most of the developing countries, contributing to low economic and social development. The situation is worse in rural communities, which are often marginalised from grid-based electricity supply because of economic and technical reasons. Currently, development agencies involved in rural power supply in developing countries recommend microhydropower (MHP) as the most robust and reliable source of off-grid power generation. However, in scholarly articles, MHP technology is not popular compared to other renewable energy technologies. This may have contributed to its limited application in off-grid power supply in some countries. Availability of scholarly literature on MHP as the case with wind and solar energies can therefore help to scale-up the level of discourse on the technology among both technical and non-technical stakeholders. In this paper, the MHP technology has been reviewed in general and the turbines in particular. General description of the technology including challenges and factors for successful implementation of the technology has been given. It has been found that technological issues are among the major challenges and that the turbine is one of the critical technological components of the MHP project. The paper has reviewed common MHP turbines, focusing on their operating principles, merits and demerits with respect to MHP and suitable operating conditions. Factors to consider when selecting suitable turbine for the site and procedure for selecting the turbine have also been outlined in the paper. The paper has been written in a tutorial manner so that the discussions therein, though technical, are shared with stakeholders of different professional backgrounds. It is hoped that the paper provides additional knowledge on MHP technology and in particular on turbines that are used in MHP supply. This can lead to better practical implementation of the technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Desde 2009 se ejecuta el Proyecto Internacional BIOMAS-CUBA, enfocado a utilizar la biomasa como fuente renovable de energía, contribuir a mejorar las condiciones de vida, y lograr la coexistencia entre mitigación y adaptación al cambio climático, seguridad alimentaria y sostenibilidad energética en el medio rural. BIOMAS-CUBA abarca la producción y utilización de biodiesel y biogás, la gasificación de biomasa y la producción de bioproductos. El proyecto está dirigido a la producción integrada de alimentos y energía en el marco de fincas agroenergéticas de base agroecológica, con el propósito de contribuir al desarrollo local. Promueve un modelo de innovación agrícola local, con amplia participación de productores y estudios de impacto. Su fase I se ejecutó en 87 escenarios de cinco provincias cubanas y ha posibilitado sembrar 109 ha de Jatropha curcas L. asociadas a cultivos, instalar una planta de producción de biodiesel (105 600 litros/año) y dos gasificadores de biomasa para generar electricidad, construir 69 biodigestores e instalar 52 plantas de producción del bioproducto IHplus, de amplio espectro de uso agropecuario -en nueve provincias-, con beneficio/costo de 3.4, incluida la inversión. Si la fase I se centró en el fomento de fincas agroenergéticas, la II (2012-2015) se orienta a la formulación e implementación de estrategias locales de producción integrada de alimentos y energía en seis municipios, acompañando a los gobiernos y a otros actores, así como a lograr mayor incidencia en políticas nacionales, regionales y locales, asociadas a la seguridad alimentaria, las energías renovables y el medio ambiente. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Recent developments in vasectomy research indicate that occluding the vas using cautery combined with fascial interposition (FI) significantly lowers failure rates and is an appropriate technology for low-resource settings. We report the introduction of this technique in Ministry of Health (MOH) vasectomy services in Rwanda. Design: In February 2010, an international vasectomy expert trained three Rwandan physicians to become trainers in no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) with thermal cautery and FI. The training took place over 5 days in five rural health centers. Results: A total of 67 men received vasectomies (11–16 per day) and trainees successfully mastered the new occlusion technique. The MOH is now scaling up NSV with cautery and FI services nationwide. The initial cadre of trainers has subsequently trained 46 other physicians in this vasectomy technique across 27 districts of Rwanda. Conclusions: No-scalpel vasectomy with thermal cautery and FI was successfully introduced in vasectomy services in Rwanda, and a similar initiative should be evaluated in other national vasectomy services worldwide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports author’s experiences of technical assistance for developing countries. The authors proposed a curved-plate bladed rotors based on the design concept of an appropriate technology. From the wind tunnel test, the highest power coefficients both 3-bladed and 5-bladed rotors are around 0.35 as the same value for high performance solid propeller type bladed rotor. Thus, the proposed curved-plate bladed rotors will have good prospect not only for developing countries, but also for educational materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers information on the development of International Transradial Adjustable Limb (ITAL), new transradial prosthesis . The prosthesis is stated to be developed by a multidisciplinary that included, engineers, prosthetists, physicians, and amputees. ITAL is stated to comprise an innovative variable-compression, variable-geometry below-elbow interface, a new body-powered prehensor and other key qualities. It analyzes the results after the preliminary use and evaluation on ITAL.

Para establecer herramientas que permitan la adopción de alternativas sostenibles para la producción ganadera en el piedemonte tropical en la República del Ecuador, se desarrolló en las provincias Los Ríos y Cotopaxi un sistema de investigación no experimental participativo. Se aplicaron las metodologías de Benítez et al. (2000) y Torres (2005), y otras de diagnóstico participativo. La muestra estuvo conformada por 60 fincas, que representaron 30 % de las mayores de cinco hectáreas, destinadas a la ganadería en la región. Se tipificaron los sistemas ganaderos, se identificaron sus efectos en el entorno, así como las demandas para su desarrollo sostenible. La degradación del entorno se asoció con la aplicación de alternativas de producción no acordes con las características del medio y con la ausencia de un sistema adecuado de gestión de la innovación que considere la situación social y cultural. Se identificaron tres grupos de fincas, diferenciadas por el propósito productivo, pendiente del terreno, superficie en explotación, tamaño del rebaño y nivel de tecnificación. Las alternativas aplicadas no difirieron, excepto en pocas fincas tecnificadas. A partir de las demandas identificadas, se definieron alternativas de soluciones para la producción ganadera sostenible. Se adecuó la metodología para la innovación rural participativa y el desarrollo ganadero sostenible de la región en estudio. Se recomienda aplicar esta metodología en el piedemonte tropical de la República del Ecuador, siempre que se garanticen los controles necesarios para ajustar las tecnologías a las condiciones correspondientes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the distribution of computer use in a comparison between two of the most dominant suppliers of low-cost computers for education in developing countries (partly because they involve diametrically opposite ways of tackling the problem). The comparison is made in the context of an analytical framework which traces the changing characteristics of products as income rises over time. The crucial distinction turns out to be the way sharing is handled in the two cases. In the one no sharing is allowed while in the other sharing is the basis of the entire product design. Put somewhat differently, the one computer is intensive in a high-income characteristic whereas the other relies entirely on a low-income characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacity Factor Analysis is a decision support system for selection of appropriate technologies for municipal sanitation services in developing communities. Developing communities are those that lack the capability to provide adequate access to one or more essential services, such as water and sanitation, to their residents. This research developed two elements of Capacity Factor Analysis: a capacity factor based classification for technologies using requirements analysis, and a matching policy for choosing technology options. First, requirements analysis is used to develop a ranking for drinking water supply and greywater reuse technologies. Second, using the Capacity Factor Analysis approach, a matching policy is developed to guide decision makers in selecting the appropriate drinking water supply or greywater reuse technology option for their community. Finally, a scenario-based informal hypothesis test is developed to assist in qualitative model validation through case study. Capacity Factor Analysis is then applied in Cimahi Indonesia as a form of validation. The completed Capacity Factor Analysis model will allow developing communities to select drinking water supply and greywater reuse systems that are safe, affordable, able to be built and managed by the community using local resources, and are amenable to expansion as the community’s management capacity increases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Developing countries have limited resources, so it is particularly important to invest in healthcare that works. The case for evidence-based practice has long been made in the West. However, poor access to information makes this endeavour near impossible for health professionals working with vulnerable communities in low-income economies. This paper provides a call to action to create an evidence base for health professionals in developing countries and identify appropriate strategies for the dissemination of this information in realistic and meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main water bodies in the Bogotá Savannah have been seriously polluted due to the mismanagement of domestic, agricultural, and industrial wastewater. While there are a number of wastewater treatment facilities in the region, most do not function properly. There is a great need for inexpensive and sustainable wastewater treatment systems that are not technologically sophisticated and that do not require intensive management. The main goal of this study was to quantify the performance and sustainability of treatment wetlands and existing wastewater treatment systems in this region. Using data from the literature, a treatment wetland model was developed, which focused on pollutant removal. The modeled performance was compared to a system of waste stabilization ponds and a sequencing batch reactor. The three systems were subject to cost analysis and an emergy evaluation, leading to the assessment of indicators of cost-benefit for comparison. The economic analysis suggested that the net annual cost of the treatment wetland was US$ 14,672, compared to US$ 14,201 for the stabilization ponds and US$ 54,887 for the batch reactor. The emergy evaluations show that the ponds have the lowest annual emergy flow (6.65+16sej/yr), followed by the constructed wetland (2.88E+17sej/yr) and the batch reactor (8.86E+17sej/yr). These results were combined to estimate treatment ratios (contaminants removed per lifetime cost, and contaminants removed per total emergy), cost ratios (cost per volume of water, annual cost per capita, and construction cost per capita), and emergy ratios (treatment yield, renewable emergy, lifetime emprice, construction emprice, non-renewable emergy, empower density, environmental loading, total emergy per volume of water, and emergy per capita). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper is concerned with the scope for developing countries to benefit from the Internet in non-synchronous ways that is, in cases where some delay is involved in the delivery of information, as compared with the real-time alternative used in developed countries. The first part of the paper draws on insights from Becker and others, to argue that poor people in poor countries are wont to exchange (relatively abundant) time for reductions in the cost of Internet use. The second part of the paper then examines whether such time-intensive products actually exist and to the extent they do, how the required degree of cost reductions are effected in practice. I conclude that time-intensive Internet technology represents a highly promising opportunity for developing countries to close the digital divide, an opportunity that warrants serious academic scrutiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distance education (DE) practices around the world use a wide range of audio-visual technologies to overcome the lack of direct contact between teachers and students. These are not universally adopted by DE teachers, however, nor even encouraged by their institutions. This article discusses the organisational attitudes that can lead to outdated methods being maintained and successful ones abandoned, and it suggests that, just as educational television and programmed learning were supplanted in previous decades, so the World Wide Web could be abandoned as a viable education medium in the foreseeable future and replaced by more widely available media such as the cell phone. The article contrasts the learner-centred philosophies underlying current DE approaches with the teacher-centred philosophies of a generation ago. If these two philosophies are not united in a sensible middle ground, the article suggests, history may come to regard today's DE as a Dark Age less enlightened than when Genghis Khan sent his arrow riders to deliver the mail in person across the Mongolian steppes, and when Lenin dispatched educational media experts to deliver DE materials by hand across the post-revolutionary Soviet Union. The main losers in this scenario, the article concludes, will be the students of the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability for an economy to design useful products is tied to its productivity, thus economic growth and the population’s standards of living. This paper investigates product design strategies and processes in Kenya in the country’s informal, formal, and non-governmental sectors. In analyzing Kenyan 200+ products, patterns emerged to delineate four approaches to the detailed design acquisition of common-use products: imitated design, imported design, basic original design, and specialty design. A vast majority of product designs, 54 of 55 tracked in this research, originate outside the country or were imitated from imported products. Across sectors, there is emphasis on the detailed design and manufacturing phases of the design process. Factors specific to less industrialized economies (LIEs) like Kenya, such as corruption and an inadequate infrastructure, limit design activities relative to more industrialized economies. Design constraints observed in Kenya are believed to be similar to other economies at the same levels of industrialization. For product design to sustainably support economic development in LIEs, it is imperative that design process be consistent with local conditions and be user-centric in approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many rural water supplies in sub-Saharan Africa demonstrate high operational failure rates, particularly those using handpumps to extract groundwater. The supply of spare parts for pump maintenance is one of the weak links in the quest for sustainability and there are very few examples of sustainable supply chains throughout the subcontinent. There are a number of key reasons for this, which are specific to the rural African context. These include: the separation of the supply of pumps from the supply of associated spares; low pump density resulting in low profits; poverty and immobility among end-users; inflexible approaches to technology choice; and restrictive policies and maintenance systems. Field research in four African countries—Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia— indicated that the supply of handpump spare parts to rural areas is not a viable stand-alone commercial activity, despite many initiatives with this ultimate aim. There is a critical need for realism in the rural water sector and for implementers to move away from the perceived wisdom that the private-sector alone is the solution to the spare parts conundrum. Integrated service provision, appropriate technology choice and, where necessary, non-profit sector options provide a multifaceted solution that must be embraced if present and future rural water services are to be sustained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing recognition in developing countries of community-based infrastructure procurement and its potential to achieve sustainable development The advantages of such an approach are that it encourages participative negotiation of activities and speedier implementation, the use of local resources, skills and appropriate technology, and entrepreneurship within communities. These wider socio-economic impacts arising from community-partnered micro-projects can lead to more sustainable infrastructure through meeting local stakeholders' needs, community empowerment and capacity building. This paper describes the development and use of performance indicators for community-contracted urban infrastructure provision in low-income communities in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In particular, these indicators refer to the dimensions of time and cost; some key performance yardsticks are also proposed. The urban infrastructure and services referred to in these cases are the facilities needed for water and sanitation provision, access roads, street lighting and solid waste management. In general, it was found that costs for community-contracted micro-projects were normally very close to being on target. The quality of infrastructure and service provision also tended to be superior to that envisioned by local government engineers. However, project duration generally exceeded the target but was still comparable to conventional contracts. The overall performance of the community-partnered micro-projects was found to be comparable or better than the conventional micro-contracts; in addition, the performance of these projects in terms of socio-economic elements was likely to far exceed that of the conventional micro-projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies different concepts of 'appropriate technology' and the strategies they imply. It is observed that while the original neoclassical strategy of adopting labour-intensive alternatives for medium-and large-scale production in developing countries has fallen out of favour, for small-scale developments,the 'intermediate technology' approach is recognized as valid for tackling the consequences of dualistic development. The accepted strategy for medium-and large-scale industry in less developed countries (LDCs)is now technological capability building based on technology transfer with the aim of achieving competitiveness in international markets. Finally, it is noted that subject to the rapid pace of globalization, developing countries are increasingly finding the task of catching-up both daunting and urgent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the existing philosophy, approach, criteria and delivery of environmental engineering education (E3) for developing countries. In general, environmental engineering is being taught in almost all major universities in developing countries, mostly under civil engineering degree programmes. There is an urgent need to address specific inputs that are particularly important for developing countries with respect to the reality of urbanisation and industrialisation. The main component of E3 in the near future will remain on basic sanitation in most developing countries, with special emphasis on the consumer-demand approach. In order to substantially overcome environmental problems in developing countries, E3 should include integrated urban water management, sustainable sanitation, appropriate technology, cleaner production, wastewater minimisation and financial framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between optimal pavement design and maintenance strategy and the level of economic development (LED), using HDM-4. The LED affects the trade-off relationships between initial design and subsequent maintenance, and between road-user costs and agency costs. It was found that pavement strategy should be more economical in developing countries, both for the initial design and the subsequent maintenance. The extent to which pavement should be designed to be sturdier, in order to counteract the insufficient maintenance practices which are so prevalent in developing countries, was also quantified. Based on these results, a formula was derived that predicts the optimal pavement strength as a function of axle loading, LED and level of maintenance insufficiency. The pavement strengths predicted by the formula and determined by applying standard pavement design guidelines were compared, and HDM-4 was judged to be an appropriate design tool for pavements, if properly calibrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second generation of our originally proposed sewage treatment system, which consists of a UASB reactor as an anaerobic pre-treatment unit and curtain-type DHS (downflow hanging sponge) reactor as an aerobic post-treatment unit, was installed at a municipal sewage treatment site. A 550-day continuous experiment demonstrated that the whole combined system successfully achieved 94-97% of unfiltered-BOD removal, 81-84% of unfiltered-COD removal, and 63-79% of SS removal, at an overall HRT of 8 h (6 h for UASB and 2 h for DHS units). The combined system performed an excellent organic removal as well as a fairly efficient nitrification, i.e. 52-61% of ammonia-nitrogen removal. Our proposed combined system possesses prominent advantages: requiring neither external aeration input nor excess sludge withdrawal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the question of appropriateness of existing technology for regulating regional development in less developed countries. Influence of the competitive ability of regions for economic development on regional development; Impact capital-intensive technologies on the stability of income distribution.

Current efforts to develop an “appropriate technology” for evaluating conflict resolution methods, including conflict resolution training, are described. There is a need in conflict resolution for research and evaluation methods which are contextually sensitive to the setting, participants, content, and process of specific initiatives. This need parallels the idea of appropriate technology in third world development efforts, in which sensitivity to context and a great deal of local participation is sought to ensure that outside aid is truly wanted and helpful. Appropriate means of evaluating conflict resolution are still lacking; new methodologies consistent with, and even constitutive of, normative conflict resolution goals and values are required. The article describes and illustrates a process designed to bridge conflict resolution and evaluation, which is labeled “action-evaluation.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Battro takes issue with my paper on the One-Laptop-per-Child Programme that appeared in a 2010 issue of this journal (20/3). He raises a variety of issues that are relevant to this Programme but nowhere does he deal with my main point, namely, that poor countries simply cannot afford to give students their own laptops. The result would be as I show a serious imbalance in the education (and perhaps other) budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses designs for sustainability including those for the global household. Designs for sustainability, also known as appropriate technology, include achievements in the areas of shelter, health, and water resources. The purpose of design sustainability is the make consumer products more environmentally-friendly to produce, use, and recycle. An overview of why there is no central Web clearinghouse for appropriate technology, including the contextual nature of design, examples of sustainable inventions, such as the Q Drum water container for use by people in developing countries, and the benefits of university classroom design laboratories is presented.

• Overview of physicochemical changes in high moisture wheat products during storage. • Changes in the main constituents of wheat products during storage were summarized. • Physicochemical, structure, and molecule changes contribute closely to the deterioration. Wheat-based products are staple foods for over a third of the world's population. However, most wheat-based staple foods are provided with a high water content to maintain naturally chewable mouthfeel, which leads to a short shelf life and limits their distribution and marketing. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms and dynamics that drive the quality deterioration is therefore essential for obtaining alternative technologies for optimal quality and extended shelf life. Here, we provide the basis for the physicochemical, structural, and molecular changes occurring in various wheat products during storage, intending to elucidate the underlying deterioration causes. Generally, more desirable qualities are obtained for fresh wheat products, both in appearance and mouthfeel. During storage, changes in the physicochemical properties, structure, main constituents, and water status contribute to the quality deterioration. Based on these changes, deterioration mechanisms are summarized to provide both theoretical and practical references for the quality regulation of high-moisture wheat-based food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides examples of how the use of appropriate technology in developing countries had resulted in failures. Failure of end products to satisfy consumers; Effect of local customs; Differences in priorities of the planners and the customers.

A novel sewage treatment system was proposed, which consists of a UASB anaerobic pretreatment unit and the following DHS (downflow hanging sponge-cubes) aerobic posttreatment unit, as a low-cost and easy-maintenance process for developing countries. Over six months experiment by feeding sewage our proposed system achieved 94% of total-COD removal, 81% of soluble-COD removal. and nearly perfect SS removal and total-BOD removal at the overall HRT of 8.3 hr (7 hr in UASB and 1.3 hr in DHS unit). Moreover, the DHS reactor was capable of performing high (73--78%) nitrification. Our whole system requires neither external aeration input nor withdrawal of excess sludge. (c) 1997 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]