Strategies to increase food productionAppropriate / intermediate technology

Starter

What does the term ‘appropriate’ mean?

What do you think appropriate means in relation to technologies used to manage food supplies?

What do you think we need to consider when deciding if a technology is appropriate for a particular place or

issue?

Learning Outcomes

• To understand what appropriate technology is and how it can be used to manage food supply in LEDCs.

What is appropriate technology?

• Mid-way between high technology and traditional, low technology farming methods.

• Founded in 1973 by Dr E.F. Schumacher as an alternative means of development for poorer communities.

• “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for life“.

Appropriate technology is the use of small scale, sustainable low tech ideas which are appropriate to the

local climate and environment, and the wealth, skills and needs of the local population.

What is appropriate technology?

• The aim of appropriate technology is to increase the standard of living for the developing world without condescension, complication, or environmental damage.

• Appropriate technology strategies are more labour intensive, require fewer resources, and use low cost or readily available materials wherever possible.

• Special attention is paid to the social, cultural, and ethical aspects of the communities the technology is intended for.

Drip irrigation

Known as trickle or micro irrigation. Saves water and

fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to

the roots of plants, either onto the soil

surface or directly onto the root zone, through

a network of valves and pipes.

Contour barriers

Contour barriers help to slow down surface run off,

conserve water and reduce erosion of the soil.

Fertilizer

Farmers use cheap, organic fertiliser, such as animal dung, rather than imported chemical fertilisers.

Mechanisation

Tools are built and maintained locally rather than being imported in as expensive machinery.

Case study: Kukri Mukri, BangladeshRead the case study on small scale enterprises for women in Kukri Mukri.1. Outline the difficulties

faced by farmers of the Char Lands in Bangladesh.

2. Describe the scheme Action Aid introduced.

3. How was the technology appropriate to locals?

4. Summarise the advantages of the scheme.

Prep

• Choose one of the high technology strategies that we have not studied and prepare case study notes on it, including what it is, where and how it is used.

Irrigation

Growth Hormones

Micro propagation

Integrated Pest management

Learning Outcomes

• To understand what appropriate technology is and how it can be used to manage food supply in LEDCs.

Exam question“With reference to examples, outline the advantages of

appropriate/intermediate technology” (10 marks)