Appropriate Technology
Appropriate Technology
1. Appropriate Technology
There is unanimity among the economists over the choice of AT. According to Yale Brozen, “ the AT for an area depends on its resources, patterns and its markets. It is therefore defined as an amalgam of skills methods, techniques and equipments that can contribute towards solving the basic soci-economic problems of the concerned communities”.
• AT should, be utilized for development purposes in the name of social justice and should be capable of satisfying the felt needs of the people. • It should be economically viable, technically feasible, and should fit in the socio-economic fabrics of local communities. • It should be able to produce some surplus, so as to encourage capital formation and stimulate further growth. • It should be simple and comparatively cheap and use local resources. • It should ensure proper control of the means of production at local levels. • It should be labor-intensive and capital saving. • It should ensure dispersal of wealth among the largest number of people and create a sense of participation and decision-making at the local level. • It should be capable of creating self-reliance and should perpetuate the emotional attachment of workers with their jobs, tools and work places. • It should encourage production by masses rather than mass production. • It should be ecologically sound and should be in complete harmony and conformity with local environments. • Dependence on non-renewable sources of energy should be at a minimum. • It should not be static but improve efficiency and productivity. In other words, AT should change with the time, and people should accept the improved and latest versions of it that fit in the new environments. • It should neither be based on traditional technology nor reject modern technology.
Vakil and Brahamanand (1983) favor AT when they opine that each country has to
1. Appropriate Technology
There is unanimity among the economists over the choice of AT. According to Yale Brozen, “ the AT for an area depends on its resources, patterns and its markets. It is therefore defined as an amalgam of skills methods, techniques and equipments that can contribute towards solving the basic soci-economic problems of the concerned communities”.
• AT should, be utilized for development purposes in the name of social justice and should be capable of satisfying the felt needs of the people. • It should be economically viable, technically feasible, and should fit in the socio-economic fabrics of local communities. • It should be able to produce some surplus, so as to encourage capital formation and stimulate further growth. • It should be simple and comparatively cheap and use local resources. • It should ensure proper control of the means of production at local levels. • It should be labor-intensive and capital saving. • It should ensure dispersal of wealth among the largest number of people and create a sense of participation and decision-making at the local level. • It should be capable of creating self-reliance and should perpetuate the emotional attachment of workers with their jobs, tools and work places. • It should encourage production by masses rather than mass production. • It should be ecologically sound and should be in complete harmony and conformity with local environments. • Dependence on non-renewable sources of energy should be at a minimum. • It should not be static but improve efficiency and productivity. In other words, AT should change with the time, and people should accept the improved and latest versions of it that fit in the new environments. • It should neither be based on traditional technology nor reject modern technology.
Vakil and Brahamanand (1983) favor AT when they opine that each country has to