Publisher’s Comments and Table of Contents – March 2024

Welcome to the Appropriate Technology March 2024 issue.

Water emerges as a significant theme within this edition of Appropriate Technology.
We present a summarised report on the status of sanitation in Malawi. This looks at pit latrines which are an affordable sanitation option crucial for reducing open defecation. However, the increase of pit latrines, often constructed without linings, poses potential environmental and health concerns. Of particular note is the risk of groundwater contamination as pits reach capacity and new ones are dug, frequently in close proximity to groundwater sources.

Blue Sands Foundation share with us their first drilling borehole project in Kitty Fula Kunda, Gambia. Various members of the community explain how this project has improved their daily life.

Andy Crump, Editorial Board member and staff writer, reports on eliminating Malaria in Cape Verde. He also looks at the cholera situation in Malawi and the worldwide effect of cholera due to climate change and neglect of water and sanitation infrastructure.

Within the Distributed Manufacturing section, we publish the first 3 case studies. The first is from BRAC -buying locally manufactured products to support the Rohingya refugee response and navigating the hurdles faced by a large organisation when engaging with multiple small suppliers. Next a 3Dprinting social enterprise putting localised, distributed manufacturing to work for institutions who do the public good; Kijenzi has experimented with different business models including hub-and-spoke approaches to scale while maintaining high quality. And thirdly in Nepal, a pilot with an NGO (Field Ready) has led to the devel­opment of a thriving distributed manufac­turing ecosystem, with multiple independent actors, now also expanding into other digital manufacturing technologies.

Sand Dams Worldwide opens new windows of opportunity for dryland commu­nities and reports on another project that has brought life to a community, livestock and agriculture.
From Prolinnova we have reports on poultry production, farmer innovators awards in Ghana and resilience of small­scale farmers in Uganda during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ras Patel - Publishing Director
raspatel@appropriate-technology.com

Contents Appropriate Technology March 2024
Volume 51, Number 1.

News briefing
Joint IFAD-IDB project in Brazil set to improve 210,000 lives
IFAD and Hamkorbank partner in Uzbekistan to provide micro-loans
ICBA launches millet demo farm
Integrated health services in sub-Saharan Africa – the way forward
Increased access to water a threat to nomadic livestock farmers
Zosurabalpin – breakthrough discovery of novel antibiotic
Third cohort of Arab women scien­tists graduates from ICBA’s regional fellowship programme
New fisheries project set to transform lives in Mozambique

Water and Sanitation
Navigating the pitfalls: how to manage pit latrines and water borne disease
New SPRING cleaning system for treating polluted water in situ
Blue Sand Foundation - Gambia drilling boreholes project... see the video

Health and Wellbeing
Malaria vaccines: paving the way to better health and prosperity in Africa
Malawi’s intensifying cholera dilemma
Cholera resurgence exacerbated by climate change and neglect of water and sanitation infrastructure
Improving women’s health – the world’s best investment oppor­tunity?

Climate Change
Global warming may be the death of us all

IT & Technology
Moisture farming – harvesting water from thin air
Innovative artificial leaves form green power plant
Portable digital X-ray machines a true boon for remote communities
Distributed Manufacturing 48 BRAC Case Study 49 Kijenzi Case Study 50 Nepal 3DP Case Study

Sand Dams Worldwide
Sand dams open new windows of opportunity
The project has brought life to the community

Prolinnova
Finding new ways to improve household poultry production
Farmer innovators in northern Ghana receive awards at National Farmers Day 2023
Traditional practices reinforce Ugandan farmers’ capacities to respond to shocks

Events
Navigating the future of humanity through DIHAD 2024

Events Calendar

Front Cover: A young boy washing a mango at a safe water point constructed in his school. Credit UNICE/Malawi (see page 31)