Appropriate Technology for Access to Universal Basic Services: A Case Study on Basic Electricity Service Provision to Remote Communities in the Napo River Basin

Laura Del-Río-Carazo, Santiago Iglesias-Pradas, Emiliano Acquila-Natale and José Gabriel Martín-Fernández
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Laura Del-Río-Carazo: Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística, ETSI de Telecomunicación, University Politécnica de Madrid, Av. Complutense 30, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Santiago Iglesias-Pradas: Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística, ETSI de Telecomunicación, University Politécnica de Madrid, Av. Complutense 30, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Emiliano Acquila-Natale: Departamento de Ingeniería de Organización, Administración de Empresas y Estadística, ETSI de Telecomunicación, University Politécnica de Madrid, Av. Complutense 30, 28040 Madrid, Spain
José Gabriel Martín-Fernández: Acciona.org Foundation, Av. de Europa 18, 28108 Alcobendas, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Appropriate technologies (ATs) refer to technologies that are controlled by the communities that benefit from their implementation. Technologies have become a fundamental element in projects aiming to solve problems related to poverty and access to basic needs in some areas in emerging countries, and appropriation of these technologies is necessary to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and sustainability. However, due to the lack of consensus on the definition of ATs, there is a need to clarify and define the scope and boundaries of the term to facilitate the implementation of technology in projects in developing countries. This study addresses this gap by means of a scoping review, which presents a detailed analysis of 17 journal articles (from an initial selection of 95 articles) and provides a comprehensive definition of ATs. To guide AT-oriented interventions in technology-intensive cooperation projects, this study proposes an Action Framework based on that definition of ATs. The Action Framework provides guidance on how to implement technology in these projects to ensure that the technology is appropriated. To facilitate the understanding of the Action Framework, the study showcases its application in a real project of rural electrification in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.

Keywords: appropriate technology; scoping review; cooperation projects; sustainability; action framework; case study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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