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Cigarettes and soft drinks are available in just about every village in the developing world - clean water, primary education and health services are not. The main reason for this paradoxial and tragic situation is the failure to deliver public services, especially in the face of growing populations. What is more, the supply of essential services in most developing countries is grossly inequitable - those who need them the most are the least able to afford them. This important book suggests a strategy to overcome what appears to be an otherwise hopeless situation - ''micro-privatization''. Governments can hand over responsibility for many public services to small private or community enterprises. The quality, efficiency and outreach of the services are considerably improved, and the costs significantly reduced. To illustrate the efficacy of this strategy, Malcolm Harper presents twenty-four real life case studies from Asia, Africa and Latin America, the USA and Europe, which amply demonstrate that micro-privatization is practical anywhere. The activities covered by these examples of successful initiatives include urban services, utilities, agricultural services, health and hygiene, transport, welfare and education.

This new resource book provides a wealth of ideas and experiences concerning animal traction in many countries. This publication has been developed from the ATNESA workshop held in Kenya on ''meeting the challenges of animal traction'' and draws together key papers and contributions from professionals in 27 different countries. The papers address a number of important challenges to animal traction that relate to participation, environment, gender, extension, transport, equipment and animal husbandry. In addition, several papers describe national level challenges and project attempts to address these. It will be of great value to all those concerned with the development of animal power, tropical agricultural development and rural transport, especially those involved in participative research, training, extension, development, planning, gender issues and project implementation.

The Roots of Change focuses attention on the source of local agrarian change: human creativity and social interaction. Building on the view that these innate human characteristics are central forces in the evolution of local agricultural systems, this volume explores the patterns of farmers'' individual and joint behaviour in the generation, adaption and spread of new agricultural practices. Published in the ''Indigenous Knowledge in Development'' series.

Microcredit is the latest development fashion, and it has even received the ultimate accolade of a world summit It is not generally appreciated, however, that there is a wide variety of quite different approaches to the profitable delivery of financial services to the poor. Such services are being indeed, have for many years been provided by many different types of institution, including traditional commercial banks, NGOs and the much publicized new generation institutions. This book contains a selection of case studies from India, Bangladesh, East and Southern Africa, Indonesia and Latin America, together with many challenging comments and questions. Two points are made: first that there is no universally applicable methodology in the field, and second that well-managed microfinance can be profitable both for its customers and its providers; it is a business opportunity itself for bankers, and need not depend on donor assistance.

Value for Money? is the first book to systematically evaluate, measure and review the costs and benefits of small enterprise programmes through a range of examples of best practice from within the field. The authors have drawn on their extensive experience in business and as consultants within the enterprise development industry for this extensive study. They show that it is possible to measure and compare the costs and benefits of small enterprise development programmes, and that donors, NGOs, tax-payers and small business people themselves should demand that those who are responsible for such programmes must demonstrate that they are providing value for money. Value for Money? will be an invaluable guide to all those involved in small enterprise development programmes.

The Technological Upgrading of Service Institutions describes the processes involved when technology is introduced into a developing country from a donor country. It discusses the techniques and problems of setting up a technological service institute in the host country and in particular the importance of ensuring that the service organization becomes independent and self-sufficient as soon as possible. The roles of other parties involved in the transfer are also discussed, NGOs, financial institutions, equipment suppliers, consultants, advisers, as well as the economic and political implications. Detailed case studies from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines provide fascinating insight into the processes of technology transfer.

Millions of slum residents across the world suffer the hazards and misery of frequent flooding of their streets and homes, which may result in savings of a lifetime being washed away in a few hours, damaged property, loss of work and time, and higher risks of diarrhoea, worm infection and other health problems. This manual is written to help engineers, aid and agency workers understand drainage problems more clearly in the developing world, so that they can work towards finding practical solutions. It focuses on three questions of particular relevance to low-income urban areas in developing countries: what is drainage performance? how can we evaluate a drainage system, to access how best to improve its performance? what are the effects of solids in drains upon performance? This manual is the outcome of two-and-a-half years of fieldwork in the city of Indore, in Madhya Pradesh, India and can be used as a practical aid by municipal engineers, consulting engineers and engineering instructors and students, as well as development and aid workers involved in drainage systems.

This book explains the role currently played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh and answers the questions: Why are Bangladeshi NGOs praised throughout the development world, yet attacked within their own country? Why are NGOs which take foreign donations treated differently from the government which takes foreign grants and loans, the religious organizations which take foreign grants, or the business sector which takes foreign investment? Why do Bangladeshi NGOs receive adulatory visits from foreign dignitaries, but rarely from Bangladeshi dignitaries? Contains lessons for all those concerned with understanding the relationship between state and civil society organizations throughout the developing world.

This book is a study of the development and acquisition of technology by a group of small and medium-sized rural industries in Sichuan province, China. The enterprises are mainly collective ones, but they are compared with other ownership groups, such as private and state enterprises. Careful analysis, using time series data and a survey sample of rural collective industries in two counties in China, reveals that the Chinese technology system is ineffective in reaching all private and public ownership groups, especially the rural collective enterprises, and does not promote co-operation and assistance. Technology Development in Rural Industries will be of interest to economists, developmentalists, NGOs, social scientists, and private and public consultants within the development field.

Rural transport in developing countries has received increasing attention in development policy, and research and field experience has generated a number of books, articles and documents from organizations working in a variety of locations throughout the developing world. The International Forum for Rural Transport and Development and the International Labour Organisation have collected and annotated details of well over 100 of these books and documents. Information is also given on where to acquire or gain access to much of this material, including some of the most interesting and significant work which exists in unpublished and inaccessible form. The present book brings together the abstracts of a selection of relevant documents on a number of transport-related areas, namely, infrastructure, intermediate means of transport, transport services, policy and institutional issues, financial and planning issues and gender issues.

This book argues that the development and diversification of national seed systems, which is currently taking place, requires a thorough re-examination of public regulatory responsibilities. Featuring case studies from a wide range of countries, it presents both a summary of current experience and a set of practical suggestions about how regulatory reform can contribute to the growth of national seed systems. It is addressed to all those concerned with agricultural development, including policymakers, researchers, donors, voluntary agencies and commercial seed producers.

Miombo forest occurs in a swathe across central and southern Africa. Traditionally shifting cultivators have farmed in miombo, and allowed it to regenerate, but increasingly the demands for land and for fuelwood have resulted in deforestation. This book provides comprehensive details of the climate, environment, ecology and species characteristic of Miombo, and describes methods for assessing the timber and other resources, through inventories, in order to use the forest sustainably.

Weaving together philosophical, historical, legal, scientific and personal viewpoints, this book gives a rich sample of the vast web which makes up our cultural, spiritual and social diversity. It demonstrates how many cultures see Nature as an extension of society, and how sensitive stewardship is an integral part of existence.

This book describes the experiences of a wide range of enterprises, banks and other agencies with partnership finance. Musharaka, or partnership financing, is a method used by Islamic financial institutions which reject the concept of fixed interest. It is, effectively, a much-simplified form of venture capital. It is generally recognized that small businesses and microenterprises can make effective use of institutional finance, and there is a wide range of methodologies through which such finance can be delivered to the owners of these enterprises, and recovered, in a way that is profitable for the businesses and self-sustaining for the financing institutions.

A summary of the state of the art in micro-hydro with a section on the economics of micro-hydro installation and operation. Invaluable to engineers, consultants and field workers in the developing world.

This book brings together a range of papers on innovative approaches to integrated urban infrastructure provision in Asian countries. Contributors include policy-makers, professionals and planners from across Asia. The models and practices described in the book comprise a major contribution to advancing the cause of sustainable urban development.

There are many contentious issues surrounding biodiversity and different priorities for the many stakeholders involved. This book presents some of the arguments from the leading experts on the issues as well as reflecting the collective learning and debate from grassroots NGOs, journalists, industrialists and policy makers.

This informative overview and analysis of slash/mulch practices from around the world, particularly from the tropics, shows that they have generally shortened the necessary fallow periods and have restored degraded soils, thus increasing or stabilizing yields. These improvements, in turn, have allowed small-scale, resource-poor farmers to compete more effectively with larger commercial farmers and have enabled subsistence farmers to achieve food security.

The increasing availability of mechanized irrigation pumps in rural Bangladesh has opened up the possibility for NGO-supported groups of poor people to become owners of a pump and to use the water for irrigating household land and/or for sale. Women''s participation and the impact on their status has been studied in 35 female and mixed-sex irrigation groups dispersed over the country, supported by five different NGOs and the Grameen Bank. The book describes the background, methodologies and conclusions to the studies in detail, with summaries of the policy implications.

The demand for permanent housing requires production of binders to be significantly increased. A range of binders, especially lime, lime-pozzolana or special earths, can be more appropriate to certain types of building such as housing. Alternatives such as lime offer tremendous potential in reducing the shortage and cost of building materials although there are production constraints. This book looks at the pros and cons of OPC compared with alternative binders.

This book is primarily a technical guide to the design and production of solar installations in regions where heating is an issue of utmost importance. This book is written mainly for technicians, architects and designers who are interested in solar heating systems in cold regions of developing countries. Also available in French and Spanish.

A training book for drawing techniques related to the subjects covered in the other volumes of the Rural Building Course, and general drawing training.From foundations, walls, doors and windows, to roofs, plaster and render, locks and painting.Contains information on tools, maintenance of tools, rural building materials, rural building products, tables of figures and a glossary.This official text book is designed purposely to meet the needs of trainees who are pursuing rural building courses in various training centers administered by the National Vocational Training Institute.The main aim of this book is to provide much need trade information in simple language and with illustrations suited to the understanding of the average trainee.It is the outcome of many years of experiment conducted by the Catholic F.I.C. brothers of the Netherlands, and the German Volunteer Service instructors, in simple building techniques required for a rural community.The National Vocational Training Centre is very grateful to Brothers John v. Winden and Marcel de Keijzer of F.I.C. and Messrs. Fritz Hohnerlein and Wolfram Pforte for their devoted service in preparing the necessary materials for t he book; we are also grateful to the German Volunteer Service and the German Foundation For International Development (DSE) - AUT, who sponsored the publication of this book.We are confident that the book will be of immense value to the instructors and trainees in out training centers.

From sociocultural, political-economic, and environmental as well as biomedical viewpoints, the book presents reviews and case studies of traditional veterinary knowledge and practice, along with historical perspectives, theoretical discussions and research methodologies. The 23 chapters span 10 major species of animal domesticates raised by more than 80 ethnic groups in nearly 40 nations of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, covering nearly 100 diseases and more than 300 medicinal plants and other traditional materia medica. Provides researchers, development professionals, and policymakers working in agricultural and rural development with insights,ideas and approaches to the subject. Published in the Indigenous Knowledge and Development series.

Trade and the Poor examines North-South trade in commodities, services and tourism; transnational corporations and free trade zones; and international financial systems. Also considers alternative South-North trade and looks at changes needed to improve terms of trade.

From foundations, walls, doors and windows, to roofs, plaster and render, locks and painting.Contains information on tools, maintenance of tools, rural building materials, rural building products, tables of figures and a glossary.This official text book is designed purposely to meet the needs of trainees who are pursuing rural building courses in various training centers administered by the National Vocational Training Institute.The main aim of this book is to provide much need trade information in simple language and with illustrations suited to the understanding of the average trainee.It is the outcome of many years of experiment conducted by the Catholic F.I.C. brothers of the Netherlands, and the German Volunteer Service instructors, in simple building techniques required for a rural community.The National Vocational Training Centre is very grateful to Brothers John v. Winden and Marcel de Keijzer of F.I.C. and Messrs. Fritz Hohnerlein and Wolfram Pforte for their devoted service in preparing the necessary materials for t he book; we are also grateful to the German Volunteer Service and the German Foundation For International Development (DSE) - AUT, who sponsored the publication of this book.We are confident that the book will be of immense value to the instructors and trainees in out training centers.

This useful general survey describes the varieties and uses of stone as a building material - whether cut or field-stone - and how to extract, work and use it. A new chapter on stone and the environment emphasizes the importance of planning, waste recycling and quarry rehabilitation as part of the extraction process. There is a new appendix outlining procedures for testing stone''s flexural and compressive strength and discussing the importance of slip resistance.Significant technological developments since the mid 1980s have made possible vast increases in the volume and efficiency of stone working. Research into waste disposal and conversion has advanced considerably, as well as dust and noise reduction, and quarry rehabilitation. Yet, ignoring these technological advances, it remains possible to build a simple dwelling without tools, from field-stones or other rocks of the right shape. With a few simple and durable tools and with this basic knowledge of stone, its working and applications, far more is possible.This well-established introduction to stone provides a link between the basics and high-tech developments, and presents a clear guide for all interested in finding out more about this widely available material - whether for profit, for development or for other local use.Bridging the gap between the geologist and the stone user and designer (whether architect or ''do-it-yourselfer''), the book describes the benefits of stone, its great variety and versatility, methods of extraction and working, and production and working prospects.This second edition contains a new chapter on stone and the environment, which emphasizes the importance of planning, waste recycling, and quarry rehabilitation as part of the extraction process. There is also a Bibliography, and a new Appendix outlining procedures for testing stone''s flexural and compressive strength and discussing the importance of slip resistance. New photographs and illustrations complement the new material.

In many parts of the world, food insecurity and nutritional risk is often greater for females than for males, in infancy, in parenthood (particularly during pregnancy, nursing and as single parents), and in old age. Further, women are usually the key decision-makers in child nutrition. Therefore a substantial part of the challenge in improving household food security involves raising the incomes and education of disadvantaged women. For policy makers and students as well as rural development managers and others with an interest in food security, Improving Food Security discusses in a practical way the participative assessment of malnutrition and food security problems, how to improve nutrition, food and livestock markets, water supplies, finance, and co-operation between NGOs and governments, as well as the importance of strengthening local preparedness for famine prevention.

Contains information on tools, maintenance of tools, rural building materials, rural building products, tables of figures and a glossary.Contains information on tools, maintenance of tools, rural building materials, rural building products, tables of figures and a glossary.This official text book is designed purposely to meet the needs of trainees who are pursuing rural building courses in various training centers administered by the National Vocational Training Institute.The main aim of this book is to provide much need trade information in simple language and with illustrations suited to the understanding of the average trainee.It is the outcome of many years of experiment conducted by the Catholic F.I.C. brothers of the Netherlands, and the German Volunteer Service instructors, in simple building techniques required for a rural community.The National Vocational Training Centre is very grateful to Brothers John v. Winden and Marcel de Keijzer of F.I.C. and Messrs. Fritz Hohnerlein and Wolfram Pforte for their devoted service in preparing the necessary materials for t he book; we are also grateful to the German Volunteer Service and the German Foundation For International Development (DSE) - AUT, who sponsored the publication of this book.We are confident that the book will be of immense value to the instructors and trainees in out training centers.

The editors consider the different aspects of, and the issues surrounding, affordable water supply and sanitation. They consider both ''software'' aspects - people, communities, health, management and institutions - as well as technological considerations such as waste management.INTRODUCTIONSection 1 COMMUNITIES, HEALTH,''PEOPLEB.V. Apparao, Mrs Anitha Pius and G. Karthikeyan IndiaMapping of fluorosis affected villagesDr V.S. Ariyaratne and Palitha Jayaweera Sri LankaSarvodaya integrated approach to waterlsanitationJ.M. Barot IndiaGender appreciation in Gujarat , IndiaMrs Jemima A. Dennis-Antwi GhanaDeveloping hygiene education materialsMs Vijitha Fernando Sri LankaWater and sanitation - gender and equityMs Ruthy C.D. Libatique PhilippinesEmpowering women to manage watsan technologiesJelle van Gijn and Brian Ellis UKCommunity infrastructure programme in PakistanSection 2 INSTITUTIONS AND MANAGEMENTMaria de Fatima Carteado and R. Franceys WEDCInstitution development, BrazilRekha Dayal and Peter Lochery IndiaApplication of key sector principlesDr V. J. Emmanuel Sri LankaWater and economic developmentMark Harvey IndiaInstitutional constraints - MaharashtraDerrick Owen Ikin Switzerland

Examines the management and use of common-property forests, groves and trees on southern Mount Kenya, demonstrating the long-standing relationships between Kenyans and their forest resources - and the connections between anthropology and forestry. This book is published in the IT Studies in Indigenous Knowledge and Development series.