Appropriate Technology for Development in the Third World

From earliest times man has attempted, with the resources available to him, to satisfy his basic needs of food, shelter security and self satisfaction. From Stone Age and Iron Age, through the development of tools and energy, the story is generally well known how modern industrialized man in cold climates has come to be. However, in Zimbabwe and similar countries of the hot dry overcrowded Third World, the situation is very different, with a labor surplus, and often little idea of alternative options to poverty and apathy. The men, woman and children of such a socialized economy must be able to appreciate a good reason for change with no social disadvantages before they will begin to change. Man's technology in the past has always reflected his social environment, where designer and user are part of the same environment. The new engineer for Africa must accept the criteria of Africa if his creativity is to be appropriate and acceptable. This paper will use a case study and examples to illustrate the need for engineers to participate in new rural and urban technology. A Bibliography is added for those wishing to study the subject in greater detail

This paper was presented at the Commonwealth Engineers Council Seminar in October 1983.