Uttam Maharjan

In the developing world, there are many challenges to overcome. The majority of people living in the developing world have to struggle hard to make a living. However, there are several strategies or models designed to target at economic development. One is the adoption of appropriate technology, which greatly helps address the basic problems of people, especially those residing in rural areas. It is a small-scale technology that can be afforded by local people. It is decentralised, labour-intensive, energy-efficient, environmentally sound, locally sustainable and people-oriented technology. It is also technology that is compatible with social, cultural, economic and political conditions. Under it, emphasis is laid on taking precautions so that the socio-cultural or economic fabric of communities is not torn apart.
The developing world finds it economically hard to import sophisticated technology from developed countries. Moreover, the technology used by developed countries may not be compatible in the developing world. So, appropriate technology may be used as an alternative to the transfer of capital-intensive sophisticated technology from the developed world.

Self-help kit
Appropriate technology is a self-help kit for poor people living in rural areas. Under this technology, locally available resources and indigenous skills are put to use to improve their lot. Thus local resources and skills or knowledge are brought into use for the benefit of local people and communities. Rural people are left out in the cold when it comes to development. They are compelled to live a hand-to-mouth existence for lack of opportunities. That is why many rural youths of the country tend to either migrate to urban areas like Kathmandu or fly abroad for employment. The use of appropriate technology may be one of the tools for retaining rural people in their own districts.
The term 'appropriate technology' was first used in the 1960s to denote a tool for solving problems associated with development in the developing world. Appropriate technology is not only used in developing and least developed countries but also in developed countries. The appropriate technology movement emerged in developed countries in the mid-1970s due to the energy crisis. It focuses on environmental and sustainability issues. The type of appropriate technology used in developed countries is appropriate and sustainable technology, which is functional, cost-effective and durable, and uses renewable resources.
Nepal has adopted the federal system of government. There are three tiers of government: federal, state and local governments. Various rights and responsibilities have been distributed among these governments. Local governments have been entrusted with several rights and responsibilities. There are many out-of-the-way or rural areas scattered across the country. These areas have remained in a developmental backwater for lack of development initiatives. People's representatives elected from such backward areas usually do not deem it necessary to develop their constituencies. In fact, they hardly go back to their districts after being elected as peoples' representatives. They prefer living in the capital city. This is one of the reasons why rural areas in the country have remained backward.
However, with local governments installed in all 753 local units, the scenario has somewhat changed. Banks and financial institutions have also reached almost all local units (749 units till now). Infrastructure development has also been taking place in various parts of the country. It is an axiom that without local - and rural- development, overall development of the country cannot be conceived of. So, local governments can play a pivotal role in harnessing local resources and skills for the development of their areas. In this regard, they can adopt appropriate technology.
The main aim of appropriate technology is to eradicate poverty. For this, employment opportunities need to be generated. By using appropriate technology, employment and self-employment opportunities can be created in rural areas. When rural people are engaged in employment or self-employment in their own areas, there will be no need for them to migrate to urban areas or foreign countries in search of jobs. Now our rural areas are literally devoid of youth populations. They are either in urban areas like Kathmandu or in Gulf and other countries.
It is unfortunate that those who returned home from foreign countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic some months ago have either gone back to their destination countries or are preparing to do so due to the government's inability to design strategies for retaining them in the country itself. Realising the importance of appropriate technology in improving the quality of life of rural people, the government should create an environment conducive to the propagation and use of this technology. It may be difficult for the country to import costly technology from developed countries. Such technology may not fit into our development perspective. Technology based on local resources and indigenous skills or knowledge is appropriate for a least developed country like ours.

Local resources
The utilisation of local resources and skills is better than letting them go to waste. When appropriate technology is properly used in rural areas, the problem of manpower flight can be overcome to a great extent. This will lessen demographic pressures on urban areas like Kathmandu. Moreover, the lopsided development now taking place in the country can be minimised. And the fruits of development can be spread to rural areas as well, albeit to some extent. It would, therefore, be prudent on the part of the government to incorporate appropriate technology as a model of rural development in its development plan.

(Former banker, Maharjan has been regularly writing on contemporary issues for this daily since 2000. uttam.maharjan1964@gmail.com)