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Directory soon on rural technologies

Our Bureau

HYDERABAD, May 20

THE National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) has embarked on a four-part project to document rural technologies, of those in practice and those which are not finding much application.

The directory would be a collection of reference material on both traditional and modern technologies in a wide range of areas. NIRD recently completed the first two parts, each having a set of 100 technologies.

Technology subjects such as building/construction, ceramic products, crop improvement, mushroom cultivation and artisan technologies have been incorporated in the first part of the directory, released by the Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr M. Ve nkaiah Naidu, in January last.

In the second volume, agri areas like cultivation of aromatic plants, food processing, forestry, traditional knowledge, etc., have been incorporated, according to an official release.

The directory captures features like investments needed for commercial-scale operations, minimum economic unit and technology descriptions which would be helpful to potential entrepreneurs to venture. It would be also useful for financial institutions, G overnment departments and NGOs.

The focus of the next two volumes under preparation are technologies related to pottery, terracota, leather, jaggery, multi-fuel stoves, energy, etc.

The Union Department of Science and Technology (DST) had earlier brought out a compendium of technology models for rural application in 1995. The volume is a collection of more than 100 appropriate rural technologies that can be replicated.

The broad areas covered include agriculture, engineering and industry, low-cost construction, energy, land and water management, education and communication. The DST is also supporting the setting up of Rural Technology Parks (RTPs), wherein relevant rur al technologies that can be taken up by entrepreneurs are demonstrated. Such RTPs have been set up in Ranchi, and is being replicated in Ranipur in Sikkim.

More recently, in September 2000, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research had compiled a list of 365 technologies, which encompass a broad spectrum of rural non-farm scenario. The technology profiles for rural sector cover food and agro-based, building and construction, drinking water, environment and sanitation and cottage and small-scale industries.