It should reduce and if possible eliminate drudgery. Certain technologies create stress; but the users are compelled to use it because of non availability of alternative technologies. When a technology is designed based on this need, definitely it should be able to reduce the drudgery compared to earlier one. The user judges the efficiency of the new technologies in such cases, only by comparing drudgery between the two.
Eg: A vendor carrying the loads on head vs pull cart.
Economic efficiency: It should enable users to earn a living wage; comparable to the ruling agricultural wage in a particular area. Eg: When a tailor invests some amount on fixing motor to her sewing machine to increase work efficiency, she compares the returns with previous quantity and also increase in earnings compare to local wages.
Formative: It should use more and more renewable sources of energy and less depleting sources, thus influencing the sustainable ecology. Eg: Use Solar dryer vs power operated dryer
Gainful: It should help in gaining additional production and employment and even can change the occupation. Eg: Exposure value addition technologies, may motivate a farmer to sell the produced in finished form than raw form, which results in additional and gainful employment.
Highly experimental: A good technology does not remain static; Time and again it gets modified or improvised or upgraded to meet the changing demands. Eg: Kitchen garden to Nutrition garden to NPM Nutrition garden.
Improve skill and productivity: An efficient technology upgrades the skill and knowledge as well as output efficiency. Eg: Improvised weeding agricultural implements demand training to acquire skills in using it and productivity per acre also increases.
Job orientation: It should open fresh avenues of employment for the large masses of unskilled labour Eg: Technology evolves based on the gaps in existing practices. Knowledge inputs for effective use of technology individuals knowledge and skill caliber.
Key resources: It should utilize newer range of materials available in the countryside as key resources and produce essential goods. Eg: Vermicompost- kitchen waste is converted into compost by earthworms.
Low cost: It should be within the low per capita investment
Migration control: It should retain the artisan in the village itself and should not be an instrument to motivate migration to urban areas. Eg: Introduction of market linkages and access to market intelligence at the door steps of the artisan resulted in control of migration.
Last modified: Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 10:06 AM
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