APPROPRIATE RURAL TECHNOLOGY

GRANT WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF APPROPRIATE RURAL TECHNOLOGY (OART) WITHIN THE INSTITUTE FOR INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND STANDARDS (ITINTEC). OART, WHOSE STAFF WILL CONSIST OF AN ENGINEER, AN ECONOMIST, A RURAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, AN AID-SUPPORTED TECHNICAL ADVISOR AND A RESIDENT ANTHROPOLOGIST, WILL COORDINATE TECHNICAL INPUT FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND DIRECT DEVELOPMENT OF MODELS AND STUDIES. ESTABLISHMENT OF OART CONSTITUTES FIRST STAGE OF PROJECT ACTIVITY; EXAMINATION OF 12-15 INTERVENTION STRATEGIES THROUGH PRE-FEASIBILITY AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES CONSTITUTES STAGES TWO AND THREE. FOURTH STAGE WILL CONSIST OF PROTOTYPE DESIGN AND FIELD TESTING OF FOUR OR FIVE INTERVENTION MODELS. DISSEMINATION OF PROVEN INTERVENTIONS IN SELECTED RURAL ZONES WILL COMPRISE FINAL STAGE. INTERVENTIONS IN THE CATEGORY OF ON-FARM TECHNIQUES WILL BE DESIGNED TO INCREASE PRODUCTION AND/OR THE VALUE OF PRODUCTS. IDEAS UNDER CONSIDERATION INCLUDE IMPROVEMENT OF MANUAL ON ANIMAL-DRAWN IMPLEMENTS; IMPROVEMENT OF HAND TOOLS: DEVELOPMENT OF HARVESTING, PROCESSING, AND STORAGE EQUIPMENT; IMPROVEMENT OF METHODS AND EQUIPMENT FOR IRRIGATION, LAND GRADING, AND SOIL CONSERVATION. IN AREA OF NON-AGRARIAN EMPLOYMENT, IDEAS FOR INVESTIGATION INCLUDE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR ARTISAN BASED CERAMIC, TEXTILE, AND LEATHER/FUR PROCESSING INDUSTRIES; DEVELOPMENT OF WOODWORKING TECHNOLOGIES; AND EXPANSION OF FRESH WATER FISHERIES. A HIGH PRIORITY HAS ALSO BEEN ASSIGNED PROJECTS WHICH WILL STUDY THE POTENTIALS OF SOLAR, WIND, AND HYDROELECTRIC POWER AND THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR RURAL SHELTER AND SANITATION. DURING FINAL STAGE OF PROJECT, AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CORPS OF 8 TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AGENTS WILL CARRY OUT A PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM.