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Technology and users. What drives technical diffusion?. World Bank STI Conference. February 13 th 2007. What is EWB Canada?. Global Citizens 25,000 members Engagement/ outreach Advocacy. Rural Africa Technical Capacity Building Field realities to policy makers. Technology transforms.
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Technology and users What drives technical diffusion? World Bank STI Conference February 13th 2007
What is EWB Canada? • Global Citizens • 25,000 members • Engagement/outreach • Advocacy • Rural Africa • Technical Capacity Building • Field realities topolicy makers
Processing What is the role of Technology Traditional
New technology? Adoption? What is the role of STI in helping the spread of appropriate technical solutions to these problems?
What is the role of STI in helping the spread of appropriate technical solutions to these problems?
What is the role of STI in helping the spread of appropriate technical solutions to these problems?
Why aren't technologies that would help Africans to reduce their vulnerability being adopted?
Less focus on technology More focus on the users
Understanding Users’ needs and realities Functional Social & Cultural Economic
1. Understanding users’ functional realities – cassavaplant
Inputs Treadle Pump Value Chain • Fertilizer • Seeds • Herbicides Parts Marketing/ Distribution End-User Repair Manufacture Markets • Local/International • Intermediaries • Transport Treadle Pump Value Chain
Free goods destroys the value chain End-User Treadle Pump Value Chain
Why is it difficult for development-driven technology to incorporate users’ context?
Functional Product Social & Cultural Economic Entrepreneur-driven process
Functional Positive Out-comes Social & Cultural Economic Development-driven process
Backbreaking to dig basins. This is supposed to decrease but not intuitive to farmers. • Departure from existing hand-hoeing, farmers perceive as risky • complex Functional “My fellow villagers believed that there is something wrong with me to dig holes in my fields… many mistook me for a hard hashish smoker. They believe my good harvest is by sheer good luck or witchcraft. Positive Out-comes Yield increases in years with little rain mean that farmers will likely give part of surplus to others in community Social & Cultural Economic Conservation farming is not as "prestigious" as using oxen. Conservation Farming challenges
The opportunity – better understanding of users Donors NGOs supporting entrepreneurs 1 Development workers Entrepreneurs 2 People adopting new technologies and techniques
Farmers adopting new technologies such that: Higher yields Non-ag income Markets to sell ad surplus Kids go to school Healthier, better housed Etc. Overall – LESS VULNERABLE Technical sector able to provide farmers services Ag yeilds Biotech Inputs Irrigation Processing/transforming Storage Transport Housing/water Etc. Rural Transformation
Problem is lack of Technology – products and know-how? Problem is lack of technical products and services spreading? “What can be done to encourage the spread of appropriate technical solutions to these problems?”