proposal for a program in appropriate technology

386 Pages·2010·8.71 MB·English

95th Congress 1 COMMITTEE PRINT
1st Session f
PROPOSAL FOR A PROGRAM IN
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
TRANSMITTED BY THE
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 107 OF THE

FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT

REVISED EDITION
FEBRUARY 7, 1977
Printed for the use of the Committee on Internatlonal Relations
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

82-006 0 WASHINGTON : 1977
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKI, Wisconsin, Chairman

L. I. FOUNTAIN, North Carolina
WILLIAM S. BROOMFIELD, Michigan
DANTE B. FASCELL, Florida
EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, Illinois
CHARLES C. DIGGS, JR., bMielhan
PAUL FINDLEY, Illinois
ROBERT N. C. NIX, Pennsylvania
JOHN H. BUCHANAN, JR., Alabama
DONALD M. FRASER, Minnesota
J. HERBERT BURKE, Florida
BENJAMIN S. ROSENTHAL, New York
CHARLES W. WHALEN, Jn., Ohio
LEE H. HAMILTON, Indiana
LARRtY WINN, JR., Kansas
LESTER L. WOLFF, New York
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York
JONATHAN B. BINGHAM, New York TENNYSON GUYER, Ohio
GUS YATRON, Pennsylvania ROBERT J. LAGOMARSINO, California
MICHAEL IIARRINGTON, Massachusetts WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania
LEO J. RYAN, California SIIIRLEY N. PETTIS, California
CARDISS COLLINS, Illinois
STEPHEN J. SOLARZ, New York
HELEN S. MEYNER, New Jersey
DON BONKER, Washington
GERRY E. STUDDS, Massachusetts
ANDY IRELAND, Florida
DONALD J. PEASE, Ohio
ANTHONY C. BEILENSON, California
I', (KIRA) DE LA GARZA, Texas
GEORGE E. DANIELSON, California
BERKLEY BEDELL, Iowa
JOHN J. CAVANAUGH, Nebraska
JoiiN J. BRADY, Jr., Chief of Staff

GEORGE M. INGRAM, Staff Consultant

CIHARLES PAOLILLO, Staff Consultant

(17)
FOREWORD

HOTUsE or RERSiw NT'rATIVES,
CoM-TrrrTE o-, TNT'IN'ATIO.N.L R ELATIONS,
Washing/on, D.C.,Ferun/ry 7. 1,977.
'n1975 the House Committee on Ilnteinational Relalions proposed
ai new section 107 of the Foreigan Assistance Act o' 1961 to authorize
the Agency for Iternational Development (All)) .osupport an ex­
panded aid coordinated private effort to promote the development
and dissemination of technologies appropriate for ('eveloping coun­
tries. The new provision called on AID to prepare and transmit to
this committee nd the Senate Foreign Relations Colnittee a de­
tailed proposal I,c,arry out the section.
Acvordingly, ATD undertook a study of what could u|sefully be done
to imil)leneit section 107. This stildy included both extcnsi\'e discus­
sions with intuh .gei(. 1111d : series of worksho)s irticilpated in by a
wide. range of knowledieahle individiuls fromlpriv te organizations
and usinesses. as vell as Memhers of Congress and congressionol
staff. At tIm same tie. lhe Agency comIllissioneld a nmnier of papers
on arious asl)ects of the iil, ect.
1
On June 30. 1976. AID transmitted to Congressthe proposal which
restulted from this lengthy st ly. In order to make the study available
to Meil)e's of Congaress and other interested individuals and orga-
Inizations. the coimnittee published the Agenc'y's proposal auid several
of the papers.Because of the widespread interest and requests for the
document, the committee is issuing in updated version of the docu­
ment. The only addition in this edition is Attachment H, "Intermedi­
ate Technology: An Informal Survey", written by Peter Askin for
tho )epartment of State's Senior Seminar in Foreign Policy, which
was not completed in time to be included in the original transmittal.
Since tihe first edition of this document, a core Board of Directors
for a private nonprofit corporation-A. T. International-has been
named under the chairmanship of Fletcher L. Byrom, chairman of
the Koppers Co.
The. committe. strongly believes that appropriate. or intermediate.
technology., through its favorable impact on employnent and self-re­
liance, can be an important means of imlplementing a development
strategv which emphasizes participation and con'entrates on improv­
ing the lives of the poor majoritv of people in the developing vorld.
It. is the committee's hope, therefore, that this new proposal will be a
useful and constructive step in focusing development efforts more
shuarI)ly on the needs of the poor.
CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKT. Chairmav.
(ii)
CONTENTS

Page
Foreword I
Legislative history ---------------------------------------------------
P roposal I)ylhe Agency for International DevelopInent for a Iprograln IIn
allp roprii'te te hnology ----------------------------------------- ... 4
I. Introdu ction a ( ia(kgroulld ------------------------------- - 5
11. Outline of section 107 pr)gram..................... 20
I1 . Organization ------------------------------------------ ------ 45
IV. AIpropriate technol)y-DefillItion-........... 72

ATTACIIMENTS
A. List of aitendees at alpproprliate techolgy ieeitings----------------- -5
It. "Private and Voluitary ()rganiiza lions and ApIpiroliriate 'I'vci nology,"
PASIlAI ----------------------------------------------------- 8
('. "Applirop riate "actoir rip irli onsfo r Manufa(turing in Less Develolped
('ountries :A S urvey of il Evidence, Lawrence .1. White------------ 1-1
I). "Policies to) Enc(ourage the I'se of Approri'tt, Technology," IHoward
Pack --------- ----------------------------------------------
E. "ApIiIrr)priate Instilutions for Aphprolriate Technology," GIary lansen,
l i iv K opl)e --------------------------- ------------------------ 2=49
F:.Exlract.s froin, poi-r.s o)n'alplrolriato,te(.hn()logy:
"Alplroliri'e .\gricultural 'rec.hno)logy : .\ss,. nwn of No)n-larin

lllna('t.l," 'lark Edwards ------------------------------------ 315
"Apllroiriat Tec'hnology for kgricultiiral I)ev(,lolimint. .10John
Balls ---------------------------------------------------- 316
(. Extrai-t fron "Th, InluI(e-lnnt (of['.S. Iiriis tii Adiait Prodhcts-a101
Proc(ses to M (t 'ondiiions Ii Less.-1)eviliiid ('onntries." Robt It.
Sloililugli a1n(d Minagi,,ntn Alialysis 0.untir--------------------------- 1
Ir. "hlil llell t l Tichnilogy: .\in Inforn l ii turavste. y,s"t llly iy
I'etehrl . Askin for i ,IDhacle hileilt ot Stith's Senior Sininar IllF or­
eign l'olicy ---------------------------------------------------- 32-
Attachments to AID Proposal on Appropriate Technology not included
in this document but available from AID
1. "Appropriate Technology Study: Sone Background Concepts, Issues,
Examples and Recomnendations," Louis J. Goodman and East-West
Center.
2. "IT Organizations and the Indian Su-Continent," lnterlediate Teeh.
nology Developnent Group.
3."Appropriate Technology in Latin America," VITA.
4. Report on A.I.D.-Prlvate Sector Meetings on Section 107.
(V
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On December 20, 1975, the International Development and Food As­
sistance Act of 1975 was enacted into law as Public Law 94-161. That
act introduced a new section 107 into the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 that authorized the Agency for International Development to
undertake a new effort in the field of intermediate technology. Section
107 reads:
Of the funds made available to carry out this chapter for
the fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978, a total of $20,000,000 may
be used for activities in the field of intermediate technology,
through grants in support of an expanded and coordinated
private effort to promote the development and dissemination
of technologies appropriate for developing countries. The
Agency for International )evelopment slall prepare a de­
tailed proposal to carry out this section and shall keep the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the louse Interna­
tional Relations Committee fully and currently informed
concerning the development of the proposal. The proposal
shall be transmitted to these committees no later than
March 31, 1.976, and shall not be implemented until thirty
days after its transmittal or until passage by each committee
of a resolution in effect approving its implementation.
House Report 94-442 explained the various provisions of the Inter­
national Development and Food Assistance Act of 1975 as voted by
the House Committee on International Relations. Regarding inter­
mediate technology, that report states:
This new section of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
permits a total of up to $20 million of the funds made avail­
able under sections 103-106 over the 3-year period covering
fiscal years 1976-78 to be used for grants to support an
expanded and centralized private effort in the field of inter­
mediate technology.
The experience of more than a quarter century of develop­
nient assistance programs overseas has clearly dlemonstrated
that much of the technology used in the United States and
other industrialized countries is not well suited to the
economies of developing countries. It is too big, it is too expen­
sive, and it does not create the jobs needed to absorb rapidly
expanding labor forces in countries which already have an
abundance of labor. It is not appropriate for use on the very
(1)
2
small farms and in tile very small business enterprises that
make up so much of the economic activity in the developing
world.

If tile poor are to participate in development, as envisioned
by the reforms enacted inthe Foreign Assistance Act of 1973
and by this bill, they must have access to tools and machines
that are suited to labor-intensive production methods and fit
their small farms, small businesses, and small incomes. They
must have access to technology which is neither so primitive
that it offers no escape from low production and low income
nor so highly sophisticated that it is out of reach for poor
people and ultimately uneconomic for poor countries-in
short, intermediate tehnhology.
Accordingly, the bill adds this new section 107 to the
IForeign Assistance Act of 1961 in order to impel All) to
study proposals for an institute of intermediate technology
and to develop a plan for expansion and centralization of
private efforts in this field. It is not meant to limit the amount
of AID funds used for other activities involving intermediate
technology, which should be expanded as rapidly as possible.
Among the objectives of such an increased effort in inter­
mediate technology are the following:
(1) To promote the develo)ment and disseuination
of technologies appro)riate for developing countries,
particularly inthe areas of agriculture and rural devel­
opment, small business enterprise, and en ergy;'
(2) To identify, design, and adapt ftro'emxisting
designs, appropriately scaled, labor-intensive teclnology,
and policies and institutions directly related to their use -
(3) To formulate policies and techniques to facilitate
tile organization of new small businesses;
(4) To engage in field testing of intermediate tech­
nology;
(5) To establish and maintain all information center
for thp. collection and dissemination of information on
intermediate technology; and
(6) To support expansion and coordination of (level­
opingcountry efforts in this field.
These objectives are based on the experience of the several
institutes of intermediate technology that are functioning ill
both industrialized and developing countries.
Tile committee expects All) to begin immediately to
develo) its proposals for use of the funds authorized under
this section, in conjunction with the private organizations
now carrying out activities in intermediate technology an(l
those which would be involved in a new effort, and to keep the
committee fully informed during the planning process.
3
Senate Report 94-406, the report by the Seitate Foreign Relations
Committee oil the same bill, outlines a sinilar pirl)ose, and intent con­
cerning intermediat e teclnology. 'lhat report. reads as follows:
The new mection 107 of tihe Foreign Assistance Act of 19MIi
permi-ts a total of ul) to $20 million of the funds made availa­
ble under sections 103-106 over the 3-yer period covering
fiscal years 19)76-78 to be used for grants to support. an ex­
pland(d and centralized )rivate effort in the field of inier­
mediate technology.
The exp)ereiie( of more than a quarter century of (evelol)­
ment, assistance p)rogranis overseas has demonst rated thatt
MUCh of the teChi'iologv iis(,l ii lie I iited States and other
industrialized countries is not well suited to the economies of
developing ,oiiltries. It is too big, too eXpeli(sive andI(oes not.
CIatP trh(jobs needed to lsorb i l)i(lly exlj)ating labor
forces ill colint ries which alrevady have an abundanc(, of labor.
It is not al)prol)riate for use oi the, sial farlms and ini the
small business enterprises that make u)so much of thle eco­
nomic activity il the developing world.
TIle new sect io 107 is designed to encouragec All) to place
greater eniliasis on uOolinat ing ld Pxanihg prh'ate
eflorts to develop and (issmninate t chnology which is appro­
priate for the dveloping ('ounltries. It does not autboize
additional aPpropriat:ions.
PROPOSAL BY THE AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DE-
VELOPMENT FOR A PROGRAM IN APPROPRIATE
TECHNOLOGY

Section 107 of the International Development and Food Assistance

Act of 1975 establishes a new grant funded, private program to stimulate

the development and dissemination of appropriate technology in developing

countries.

The legislation states:

"Of the funds made available to carry out this chapter for

the fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978, a total of $20,000,000

may be used for activities in the field of intermediate

technology, through grants in support of an expanded and

coordinated private effort to promote the development and

dissemination of technologies appropriate for developing

countries. A.I.D. shall prepare a detailed proposal to

carry out this section and shall keep the Senate Foreign

Relations Committee and the House International Relations

Committee fully and currently informed concerning the

development of the proposal. The proposal shall be trans­
mitted to the committees no later than March 31, 1976 and

shall not be implemented until 30 days after its transmittal

or until passage of each committee of a resolution in effect

approving its implementation."

The deadline for submitting the proposal required by the

legislation was extended to June 30, 1976. This paper is submitted

to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House International

(4)
5
Relations Committee in compliAnce with Section 107. It contains three parts:

1) an introduction and background; 2) description of the proposed

goals and activities of the Section 107
program; and 3) a statement

of the organizational steps A.I.D. proposes to take in carrying out

the program. This proposal has been prepared by a work group

representing all major A.I.D. bureaus and offices.

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Private Sector Focus:
Section 107 mandates an expanded and

coordinated private effort to stimulate the development and dissemin­
ation of appropriate technologies in developing countries.
The

Congressional Committees interpret the term "private effort" widely.

Section 107 is intended to complement on-going A.I.D. programs by

stimulating a variety of non-A.I.D. entities
to undertake innovative

programs in appropriate technology. This includes U.S. private and

voluntary agencies, private business, individual citizens, not for

profit organizations, and universities whether privately or state

supported. Under the legislation, grants can be made directly to

LDC private groups or publicly supported groups such as LDC R&D

institutions, universities, or others.

In reporting out the legislation, the HIRC sugggsted that we

consult with U.S. private groups active or interested in appropriate

technology. These consultations have been a major part of our

preparations for this report.

Four day and a half workshops with representatives of U.S. private
6
and voluntary agencies, businesses, and academic institutions were held

in April this year. A larger meeting of private sector representatives

was held in May. More than 100 individuals and representatives from

1

private groups attended the meetings.

These meetings generated a large number of suggestions on the

goals and activities of an appropriate technology program. The program

described in this report is drawn largely from these recommendations.

The meetings constituted the first step in an on-going dialogue

between the private sector and A.I.D.

In addition to the meetings, A.I.D. commissioned a survey of

eighty U.S. private and voluntary agencies to ascertain their current

2

and prospecLive involvment in appropriate technology programs. The

survey notes numerous instances of successful development and use of

appropriate technology by private and voluntary organizations. It

contains a number of recommendations for enhancing U.S. private agency

capacity in appropriate technology.

The overall impression from the meetings and the survey is that

the Congressional decision to engage the talents of the U.S. private

sector as a complement to A.I.D. programs in appropriate technology

was well taken. We have been impressed with the diversity of

I The list of attendees is appended as attachment A.

2 " Private and Voluntary Organizations And Approprir.te Technology" -

PASITAH - Bloomington, Indiana, May 1976. (Attachment B)