1. Appropriate Technology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Universal Nut Shelter in use in Uganda, an example of appropriate technology.
Appropriate Technology (AT) is technology that is designed with special consideration to the
environmental, ethical cultural, social, political and economical aspects of the community it is
intended for. AT requires fewer resources and is easier to maintain, and has less of an impact on
the environment compared to techniques from mainstream technology which are usually
wasteful and environmentally polluting.
The term is usually used to describe simple technologies proponents consider suitable for use in
developing nations or less developed rural areas of industrialized nations. This form of
“appropriate technology” usually prefers labour intensive solutions over capital intensive ones,
although labour-saving devices are also used where this does not mean high capital or
maintenance cost. In practice, AT is often something described as using the simplest level of
technology that can effectively achieve the intended purpose in a particular location. In
industrialised nations, the term appropriate technology takes a different meaning, often referring
to engineering that takes special consideration of its social and environmental ramifications.
The term appropriate technology came into some prominence during the 1973 energy crisis and
the environmental movement of the 1970s. The term is typically used in two arenas: utilizing the
most effective technology to address the needs of developing areas, and using socially and
environmentally acceptable technologies in industrialized nations.
Appropriate technology is sometimes used synonymously with the term “intermediate
technology”.
Appropriate technology in developed countries
The term appropriate technology is also used in developed nations to describe the use of
technology and engineering that results in less negative impacts on the environment and society.
E.F. Schumacher asserts that such technology, described in the book Small is Beautiful tends to
promote values such as health, beauty and permanence, in that order.
Often the type of appropriate technology that is used in developed countries is “Appropriate and
Sustainable Technology” (AST) or appropriate technology that, besides being functional and
relatively cheap (though often more expensive that true AT) is also very durable and lasts a long
time (AT does not include this; see Sustainable design).
Additional reference: Geography: An Integrated Approach by David Waugh, 3rd Edition
Pages: 449, 499, 505, 547-9, 576-7
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