Takeaways and Policy Recommendations, Global Solutions Summit 2018

なぜ科学技術は貧困を解決できないのか？――問題は「普及」にある

Alfred Watkins, Chair, Global Solutions Summit
IIZUKA Michiko, Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan

SDGs, Last mile, Technological diffusion

December 16, 2021

SciREX Center

SciREX WP 2021-#4

https://scirex.grips.ac.jp/resources/2021/32dbc89d6434437f346c80c7725920e61dd271a1.pdf

SciREX Working Paper

The diffusion of practical and affordable science and technology is critical to solving the problems of the "Base of the Pyramid" (BOP) people in developing countries. The diffusion of such technologies will also help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The author showed the role and importance of the following key concepts in technology diffusion: last mile, scaling up, the ecosystem for technology diffusion, financial channels, and income generation. First, the last mile originally meant access to supply networks such as water, wastewater, electricity, and telecommunications near consumers.

Still, it is challenging for low-income communities in developing countries to access such supply networks. However, in recent years, the spread of "small-scale decentralized technologies" such as rooftop solar power generation and water purification huts have effectively solved the "last mile" problem at a lower cost. In addition, building social capital through bonding, bridging, and collaboration are essential elements for the successful diffusion of development measures in vulnerable communities.

A necessary condition for scaling up a project is integrating it into the technology diffusion program from the beginning. In addition, projects must be formulated from a concrete, global perspective, identifying what is needed to achieve the objectives and developing and implementing a strategy to secure the necessary technology, funding, human resources, partnerships, political support, and other resources. It also requires collaboration with the many diverse organizations that make up the "diffusion ecosystem. A diffusion ecosystem requires that the actors involved in the diffusion of technology work together towards a goal.

These actors include communities, scientists, technologists, technology providers, entrepreneurs, funders, NGOs and social entrepreneurs, humanitarian organizations, governments, and bilateral and multilateral development agencies. It is important to develop a platform for these actors to understand and collaborate with each other, and to build the capacity of local organizations, institutions, and individuals to participate in the dissemination process.

The channel of funds is to ensure that the invested funds go to the people who need them in an amount that can be efficiently utilized by the specific project. The provision of credit guarantees and franchise systems are key elements in this process. Generating income is essential for bridging the gap between "poverty level income" and "survival income." To this end, it is crucial to raise the income of individual households and communities by encouraging them to participate in formal markets where they are more likely to make a profit. To sum up, successful technology diffusion requires policies rooted in "inclusive community development based on shared values," which requires leaders with greed, flexible management structures, a strategic vision for management, and systems to track progress. And if technology diffusion is successful, it can be turned into a virtuous circle with improved income.