514
A. Vushe
12 Forging Sustainable and Effective Technology for Rural
African Areas
Forging sustainable and effective technology for rural African areas will require
collaboration of local and global researchers, as well as designers, manufacturers,
quality assurance testing experts, and commercial industrial producers. Local manufacture of machinery will depend on commercial agreements, complexity, skills, and
competitive advantages. It could be mutually beneficial for equipment and components to be designed and manufactured both in Africa and overseas. Producing the
appropriate technologies locally may enhance innovation and productivity of African
small-scale industries and agriculture, which can create jobs and wealth, raise standard of rural life, and retain labor in small-scale farming areas and small towns.
African governments must optimize policies, regulatory frameworks, and prioritize
adoption of modern energy and technology systems (World Bank 2005) in order to
build sustainable agriculture at various scales and in various African environments.
All stakeholders have roles, for example, local communities must provide input
into designs, evaluation of prototypes, and manufacturing. The local and international
private sectors must participate in developing hardware as well as standards and
accreditation schemes to both raise quality and promote competition. Governments,
in collaboration with local stakeholders, must ensure that the economic framework
for technology development can survive after any subsidies have been phased out.
The technology market structure must ensure a reduction in overall production cost,
development of robust equipment and machinery, with competition among manufacturers not just on price but also on longer product guarantees and warranties. New
programs and funding mechanisms must be developed to introduce financial incentives for users and developers of the technologies. Access to bank loans can make the
technology affordable to rural customers provided there are adequate guarantees to
reduce associated costs and risks (Watson et al. 2010). Researchers, practitioners, and
other role players (various stakeholders) have to work together in multidisciplinary
teams for planning and implementation of strategies for technology development and
dissemination, so as to build resilience of Africa to adverse climatic conditions and
other disasters.
13 Conclusion
Research, science, technology, and innovation to address current and future challenges of climate change and water resource management in Africa must focus on
establishing sustainable resilience, food security, and socioeconomic development
that strengthens the capacity of urban and rural communities and minimizes institutional constraints and economic and socio-political turbulence. African governments must establish practical conjunctive water management systems for saltwater
and freshwater resources and focus on river basin-scale water and soil conservation.
A. Vushe
12 Forging Sustainable and Effective Technology for Rural
African Areas
Forging sustainable and effective technology for rural African areas will require
collaboration of local and global researchers, as well as designers, manufacturers,
quality assurance testing experts, and commercial industrial producers. Local manufacture of machinery will depend on commercial agreements, complexity, skills, and
competitive advantages. It could be mutually beneficial for equipment and components to be designed and manufactured both in Africa and overseas. Producing the
appropriate technologies locally may enhance innovation and productivity of African
small-scale industries and agriculture, which can create jobs and wealth, raise standard of rural life, and retain labor in small-scale farming areas and small towns.
African governments must optimize policies, regulatory frameworks, and prioritize
adoption of modern energy and technology systems (World Bank 2005) in order to
build sustainable agriculture at various scales and in various African environments.
All stakeholders have roles, for example, local communities must provide input
into designs, evaluation of prototypes, and manufacturing. The local and international
private sectors must participate in developing hardware as well as standards and
accreditation schemes to both raise quality and promote competition. Governments,
in collaboration with local stakeholders, must ensure that the economic framework
for technology development can survive after any subsidies have been phased out.
The technology market structure must ensure a reduction in overall production cost,
development of robust equipment and machinery, with competition among manufacturers not just on price but also on longer product guarantees and warranties. New
programs and funding mechanisms must be developed to introduce financial incentives for users and developers of the technologies. Access to bank loans can make the
technology affordable to rural customers provided there are adequate guarantees to
reduce associated costs and risks (Watson et al. 2010). Researchers, practitioners, and
other role players (various stakeholders) have to work together in multidisciplinary
teams for planning and implementation of strategies for technology development and
dissemination, so as to build resilience of Africa to adverse climatic conditions and
other disasters.
13 Conclusion
Research, science, technology, and innovation to address current and future challenges of climate change and water resource management in Africa must focus on
establishing sustainable resilience, food security, and socioeconomic development
that strengthens the capacity of urban and rural communities and minimizes institutional constraints and economic and socio-political turbulence. African governments must establish practical conjunctive water management systems for saltwater
and freshwater resources and focus on river basin-scale water and soil conservation.