60 minutes to convince
Science and Technology for Development
Week 20, Tuesday 24 January 2006
SUMMARY
The moderator, Nino Munoz Gomez, Director of the Bureau of Public Information invited
Tony Marjoram, responsible for engineering sciences in the Division of Basic and Engineering
Sciences of the Sector for Natural Sciences, to chair and introduce the session.
The Chair welcomed participants to the session and introduced other UNESCO panel
members: Chifa Tekaya, responsible for coordinating the Cross-Cutting Theme programme
on poverty reduction in the Social and Human Sciences Sector and Osman Benchikh,
responsible for energy and renewable energy in the Basic and Engineering Sciences
Division.
The session began with a short introduction by Tony Marjoram followed by his video
presentation on “Small Is Working: Technology for Poverty Reduction”. This was followed by
presentations by Osman Benchikh on Renewable Energies for Sustainable Development and
then from Chifa Tekaya on the Sahel project – another example of using science and
technology for development. The session ended with questions and answers. Panel member
presentations are examples of how to place science and technology at the service of human
well-being and the eradication of poverty.
Tony Marjoram introduced the session by noting the emphasis on knowledge societies in
recent years and that knowledge, especially knowledge for development, relates particularly to
science, engineering and technology (SET). The importance of knowledge generation,
application, innovation and capacity building was recognized in several recent reports:
including the report of the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Science, Technology and
Innovation, “Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development”, the report of the
InterAcademy Council 2004: “Inventing a Better Future: A Strategy for Building Worldwide
Capacities in Science and Technology”, and the report of the Commission for Africa: “Our
Common Interest”.
The increasing interest of the European Union and the DaimlerChrysler-UNESCO
Mondialogo Engineering Award and exhibition, was also indicated as emphasizing the role of
technology and development at UNESCO. The vital role of technology in history starting with
the stone age, bronze age, iron age, industrial revolution and subsequent “waves” of
technology change, including the 3rd wave of IC engines and heavy engineering, 4th wave of
oil, automobiles and mass-production, and the 5th wave of computers and ICTs. The 6th wave
of change, with “post-industrial” information societies and economies and new modes of
knowledge generation, dissemination and application, is characterized by new areas of
knowledge (ICTs, biotechnology, nanotechnology, materials technology), cross-fertilization
and fusion (rise of new disciplines, decline of old, importance of innovation); in turn
underlining the vital role of science, engineering and technology in development.
This introduction was followed by three presentations:
 Small is Working by Tony Marjoram t.marjoram@unesco.org
 Renewable Energies for Sustainable Development by Osman Benchikh
o.benchikh@unesco.org
 Sahel project - an example of using science and technology for development by Chifa
Tekaya, c.tekaya@unesco.org
Small is Working
by Tony Marjoram
responsible for engineering sciences in the Division of Basic and Engineering Sciences of
the Sector for Natural Sciences
t.marjoram@unesco.org
The 10min version of “Small Is Working: technology for poverty reduction” video was
presented. This video/CD, produced by UNESCO and the Intermediate Technology
Development Group re-emphasizes the importance of technology for poverty reduction and
sustainable development, also marking the 30th anniversary of the publication of “Small Is
Beautiful” by Fritz Schumacher in 1973 - described as one of the 100 most important books of
the last 50 years.
The use of low-cost, small-scale technologies in developing countries was promoted in the
1960s by Dr E F Schumacher, who published “Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics
as if People Mattered” in 1973. “Small is Beautiful” has been widely translated and has
been described as one of the 100 most influential books of the last fifty years. The "Small is
Working" video and associated book are co-published by UNESCO, the Intermediate
Technology Development Group (ITDG - established by Schumacher and colleagues in
1965) and Television Trust for the Environment (TVE - producers of the multi-media
'Hands-On' series first shown on BBC World, from which many of the good practice stories
are drawn). The video and book were produced to commemorate the 30th anniversary of
the publication of “Small is Beautiful”. Schumacher's ideas have stimulated the work of
NGOs and intergovernmental organizations such as ITDG and UNESCO in the area of
technology for development.
Schumacher’s work has shown us that poverty relates primarily to the limited access of
poor people to the knowledge and resources with which to address their basic human needs
and promote sustainable development in such areas as water supply and sanitation, food
production and processing, housing and construction, energy, transportation and
communication, income generation and employment creation. Schumacher’s message is
even more relevant today, as we face issues of sustainability and globalization, than it was
thirty years ago.
It is timely, therefore, in the current context of concern regarding poverty, sustainability,
global partnership and related Millennium Development Goals, to revisit “small is
beautiful” and revitalize interest in the application of smaller-scale and intermediate
technology for poverty eradication. The publication of the “Small is Working: Technology
for Poverty Reduction” video and associated booklet is intended to present, review,
revitalize and promote the contribution of smaller-scale and intermediate technology to
poverty reduction and sustainable development.
To purchase, contact UNESCO Publishing: http://publishing.unesco.org
Renewable Energies for Sustainable Development
by Osman Benchikh
responsible for energy and renewable energy in the Basic and Engineering Sciences Division
o.benchikh@unesco.org
Energy services are essential for sustainable development and access to these services affect the
social, economic, and environmental dimension of any development achieved. Lack of access to
divers and affordable energy services means that, the basic needs of nearly one-third of the world
are not being met.
Demand for energy continues to grow even though governments adopt vigorous policies to
conserve it. Energy problems are today so acute at the international level that it is no longer
possible to satisfy the world's constantly growing needs by continuing to exploit, as before, too
limited a range of resources. This growth of energy demand must be increasingly satisfied by
diversified energy resources including sustainable and renewable sources.
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro,
known as the “Earth Summit,” highlighted the important role that renewable energy sources and
technologies can play in helping to address the twin challenges of development and environmental
protection. Developing and industrialized countries alike stand to benefit a great deal from the
exploitation of plentiful indigenous energy resources, thereby lessening their dependency on
expensive, environmentally damaging forms of energy.
More recently, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in August
2002, addressed emerging and critical issues for the future, reflecting a global shift in emphasis
since 1992, from environmental concerns to the more holistic approach of sustainable development
focusing on the interrelationships of environment, society, and economy. Within this framework,
the Summit also set up a process to enhance and promote the use of sustainable and renewable
sources of energy to improve the living conditions of those who have no access to conventional
sources of energy. Almost one-third of people living in rural areas, mainly in developing countries,
have no access to electricity. Another third is severely undersupplied, relying mainly on renewable
energy sources to improve living conditions. Today, the world community is aware of the role and
importance of these energies, especially for sustainable development and improved living
conditions for the rural poor population. However, to meet the challenging task of energizing the
non-energized, specific efforts have to be undertaken to adopt and make use of renewable energy
technologies.
The importance attached to increasing the use of renewable sources of energy arises from concern
over five issues. The most urgent concern is for the more than two billion people who currently
have no access to modern energy services. Most of them live in rural areas where they rely on noncommercial energy sources, such as biomass, firewood, charcoal and animal waste. The objective
of the Millennium Development Goal of halving, by 2015, the proportion of the world’s population
whose income is less than one dollar per day will depend on providing this population with access
to modern energy services for their needs, as well as for income generation. For widely dispersed
and low-density rural populations, decentralized energy technologies based on renewable sources
provide a viable alternative to expensive grid extensions. Decentralized renewable energy systems
constitute a valuable component of efforts at poverty eradication.
A major issue remains the need for more energy from all sources, including renewable sources,
particularly for developing nations, which are faced with a rising energy demand, associated with
the twin pressures of a significant per-capita economic development and increase in population.
As a result of the concern over these issues, the international community has gradually come to
recognize the importance of developing and utilizing renewable sources of energy. This recognition
has, in particular, led to a major emphasis on renewable energy for achieving the objectives of
sustainable development.
UNESCO’s role in this area is pertinent because the increased exploitation of clean and renewable
energies as part of a new global energy system that can be sustainable requires endogenous
scientific capacities as a foundation for increased knowledge of the various technologies and their
adaptation to different contexts and fields of application.
Sahel project
an example of using science and technology for development
by Ms Chifa Tekaya
responsible for coordinating the Cross-Cutting Theme programme on poverty reduction in
the Social and Human Sciences Sector
c.tekaya@unesco.org
The Sahel project is an example of using science and technology for development. It is the
project’s technological solution to the needs of the island communities along the Niger River
situated close to near a permanent lakes or a dams. Water resources are available but not viable.
The technical solution: a slow biological reverse filtration was developed by a research laboratory
and installed by UNESCO as a full-size prototype laboratory experiment.
The project has received modest funding from the World Islamic Call Society and was
implemented in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Other partners joined the project:

Inter-agency cooperation: UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, UNFPA and UNCDP

Public-private partnerships: Ministries and VIVENDI (formally Veolia)

Research/Action: research laboratory Nancie (formally Aquatrium now University of
Lausanne)

Donors, including WICS (Women in Community Service) UNDP, UNICEPF, French
and Luxemburg government development agencies of,
The results are the following:

a low-cost technological solution (never tested full size, but tested in a laboratory),
easily maintained (UNESCO, VIVENDI, NANCIE, UNDP)

a behavioral observatory (UNESCO)

Income-generating activities (using drained water) (UNICEF/UNESCO)

Latrine installation (UNICEF)

training and information activities on upkeep and maintenance (theatre forum and role
playing)

Public information on hygiene, health and reproduction health (UNICEF/UNFPA)

Training of project leader (VIVENDI, NANCIE, Lausanne University)

Training of technicians in the new technology (NANCIE, French cooperation).
The conclusion that can be drawn from the project is that technological and scientific solutions
can be mastered. The real challenge lies in dedicating science and technology to the wellbeing of individuals and communities. This experience has shown that it is possible, as profit
was not the priority. The only real question now is that of which values should take precedence
– profitability or well-being?
UNESCO is well-placed to proclaim the message that access to scientific and technological
progress is a human right and to thus place human beings at the centre of priorities. This
project would never have the seen the light of day without active, committed partners who
delivered patent and equipment, to us free of charge; without the dedicated commitment of the
national project leader, convinced of its worth, and without the commitment of UNESCO to
place science and technology at the service of human well-being and the eradication of
poverty.