Reports on selected themes in natural resources development in Africa : renewable energy technologies (RETs) for poverty alleviation

Abstract

The case studies reviewed in this paper indicate that there have been notable attempts to develop and deploy appropriate technology for small-scale mining in several parts in Africa. These technologies have contributed on a micro scale to improving productivity and reducing localized impacts to the environment. However, results at a macro level are less encouraging. The sector is still plagued with many problems. Several reasons could be advanced for this poor performance. They include poor understanding of the nature of the problem; the ad-hoc nature of some of the programmes launched to develop the sector; lack of funding and local infrastructure to support research, development and innovation of appropriate technology; and inadequate framework for technology diffusion and assimilation. More important however, is the fact that these attempts were isolated and very technical oriented in nature. Other important societal and techno-economic variables were very often ignored.