Mastering the Machine Revisited

Ian Smillie

The 50-year struggle to harness technology in the fight against global poverty- and why is it taking so long? Mastering the Machine Revisited is about the connection between poverty, aid and technology. It is about the search driven today by greater extreme poverty than has ever been known, and by...

Missing Links

Gender differences in the field of science and technology have real consequences for the quality of women's lives and for sustainable human development. In this book gender specialists from around the world probe the topic of indigenous knowledge.

The Technological Transformation of Rural India

A. Reddy, A S Bhalla

Using case studies from India this book presents a conceptual model of commercialization of rural technologies in developing countries. It concludes that India has not placed enough emphasis on ensuring the efficiency of small-scale production units.

Island Technology

Tony Marjoram

Pacific island countries have united internationally to contest the negative external impacts of Western technology - such as the disposal of poison gas and toxic waste, the transportation of nuclear materials and nuclear testing, as well as the overwhelming prospect of global warming and a rising s...

Made in Africa

Janet Leek, Andrew Scott, Matthew Taylor

This book examines the pros and cons of the local production of carpentry hand-tools as opposed to their importation. In seeking the best strategy to adopt it also outlines the previous methods adopted by VSO and Intermediate Technology who have much experience in this area. Published in the VSO ECO...

Introductory Technology

Adrian Owens

A practical classroom and workshop guide for teachers of technology, craft and design subjects in schools. It is based on the comprehensive Nigerian introductory technology curriculum, and encourages an integrated, active learning approach. Published in association with VSO.

Cutting Edge Technologies and Microcomputer Applications for Developing Countries

Explains and assesses the uses of computers in record-keeping, accounting, education, CAD-CAM, expert systems and geographic information systems, and provides a methodology for attacking the problems of resource assessment, utilization and communication.

Solar-Powered Electricity

Bernard McNelis

A state of the art survey of the use of photovoltaics in developing countries, in pumping, refrigerators, lighting, rural electrification and agriculture, from a UNESCO report.

Design and Manufacture of Low-Cost Motorized Vehicles

For planners and manufacturers, this book contains detailed technical information on the design and manufacture of vehicles which can be produced locally and can compete with capital-intensive technologies originating from industrialized countries.

Windpumping Handbook

Sarah Lancashire, Jeff Kenna, Peter Fraenkel

Windpumping is an established technology, with over one million windpumps in use worldwide. A windpump needs no fuel, little maintenance and it usually lasts 20 years or more. Designs exist which are suitable for small-scale local .manufacture. The aim of this handbook is to help potential users and...