CAPES / O presente trabalho consiste na implantação de uma estação de tratamento de esgoto por zona de raízes na Escola Municipal Epitácio Pessoa localizada na Comunidade rural da Seção Jacaré em Francisco Beltrão, Paraná. No município, apenas a população urbana possui rede de coleta e tratamento de esgoto, e neste aspecto, sabendo que a infraestrutura de saneamento básico é inexistente nesta comunidade, buscou-se desenvolver um trabalho de educação ambiental junto aos alunos e professores da escola, sobre assuntos relacionados à poluição dos recursos hídricos, saneamento ambiental e doenças transmitidas pela água. A sensibilização realizada e a troca de informações entre os envolvidos promoveram grande aceitação por parte da comunidade local, tornando possível a transferência desta tecnologia alternativa para o tratamento de esgoto. A parceria realizada com a Secretaria Municipal de Meio Ambiente, foi fundamental para o repasse de recursos financeiros pelo FUNDEMA (Fundo Municipal de meio Ambiente) para o desenvolvimento do projeto. A ETE por zona de raízes foi projetada para atender 160 pessoas e teve um custo de R$ 3.833,53, o que representa uma média de R$ 24,00 por pessoa. Por se tratar de um método simples que não necessita de mão de obra especializada, ser de baixo custo, e por ser descentralizada a construção da ETE por zona de Raízes, serviu como um instrumento de mobilização social, que promoveu a participação e a inserção da comunidade na busca de soluções aos problemas locais. Além disso, a ETE pôde servir como apoio na educação ambiental, sendo esta utilizada para esclarecer a importância da preservação da qualidade das águas, permitindo assim, a inserção do conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável na pequena comunidade da Seção Jacaré. As dificuldades encontradas na execução do projeto serviram como aprendizado e como comprovação de que a implantação de uma ETE por zona de raízes é possível, apesar das piores condições de solo, terreno, e tempo. O uso dessa tecnologia alternativa mostrou-se ser uma solução eficaz no tratamento de esgotos de comunidades rurais que sofrem com as consequências da falta deste serviço. / This work presents the implementation of a Sewage Treatment Station by roots zone in the school Epitacio Pessoa, located in Rural Community at Jacaré Seccion for the municipality Francisco Beltrao in the state of Parana. In this municipaly, only the urban population has sewage collection and treatment of sewage and knowing that the infrastructure is nonexistent sanitation in this community, developed a work of the environmental education with students and teachers at the school with subjects related to water pollution, environmental sanitation and diseases transmitted by water. The sensivity and exchange of information between those involved promoted a large acceptance by the local community, being possible to transfer this alternative technology to the sewage treatment. The partnership made with Environment Municipal Secretariat was substantial in the transfer of funds by FUNDEMA (Municipal Fund for the Environment) for project development. The STS (Sewage Treatment Station) by root zone was projected to serve 160 people and had a cost of R$ 3.833,53, which represents an average of R$ 24,00 by person. By treating of the simple method that does require skilled labor, be low cost and construction of the STS by roots zone to be decentralized, served as an instrument of social mobilization that promoted the participation and inclusion of the community in finding solutions to local problems. The SWT could serve as support environmental education which is used to clarify the importance of preserving water quality, allowing the inclusion of the concept of sustainable development in the small community of Jacaré Seccion. The difficulties that was arrived in implementing the project served as a learning and as evidence that the deployment of the STS by roots zone is possible, although worst soil conditions, terrain, and weather. The use of this alternative technology proved to be an effective solution in sewage treatment in rural communities who suffer the consequences of the lack of this service.

The technological revolution of the XX century led to big transformations in global culture, society and economy, but it did not reach equally to all. While science is today one of the main engines of industry, agriculture, and production of goods, billions of people in small communities still relay on local forms of knowledge, technologies and techniques to carry out their economic activities. This thesis aims to analyze the role of Local Knowledge and the Appropriate Technologies derived by said knowledge applied to the fish farms of peasants in the local Sustainable Development in the Vale do Jamari region, in the state of Rondônia, in Brazil. To achieve our goal, we initiate with a theoretical discussion that will provide tools for the analysis of the empirical data. Firstly, we discuss the concept of Sustainable Development, pointing its limitations and providing a perspective of an analysis of this type of development that favors the resources, interests and culture of a local community. Secondly, we bring the discussion over the accumulated knowledge of man over its environment and the conditions that it inhabits; the concept of Local Knowledge, its characteristics, its importance, limitations and its role in the contemporary world post-Green Revolution. The third moment of our theoretical discussion is dedicated to the movement of alternative technology and the concept of Appropriate Technology, its characteristics and the importance of the concept to the analysis of technologies that are apt to work in specific contexts in a way to be valid to its users. In the sequence, we present the method used for the empirical research, in which a case study was carried out. The case selected was of the peasant fish farms in the Vale do Jamari, region comprised of 9 municipalities in the center of the state of Rondônia, in the western amazon, in Brazil. Said region was colonized by rural workers migrating from other parts of the country between the 1960-1980s, resulting in great impact to the natural environment. The region presented in the last 8 years high rates of growth, partially due to small fish farmers acting with low technology and little access to technical assistance. Secondary data was selected through document research and primary data was collected from observation, photographs, field journals, technical visitations, participation in industry related events, open and semi-structured interviews carried out between mayjune, october-december 2016. The data gathered, upon careful analysis, pointed out that in the case of the peasant fish farmers of the Vale do Jamari: the existence of techniques and technologies developed through Local Knowledge and which are used in multiple situations in substitution, complementation or supplying the absence of technical/scientific knowledge and tools; that such local techniques and technologies can be said to be Appropriate Technologies; that there is disbelief on behalf of technical assistants of the validity of said technologies; that there is a lack of trust and there is a deficient communication between technical assistants and farmers; that such techniques and technologies developed by the fish farmers are compatible with a food production style of low environmental impact, coherent with the locally available resources and which create social and economic benefits to the local community; and, finally, that Local Knowledge, in the absence of conventional technologies appropriate to the found conditions, served as the base to the development of local technologies, appropriate and capable of guaranteeing the activity of fish farming for peasants in the Vale do Jamari.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:54:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:07:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 12779.pdf: 5257634 bytes, checksum: da3e185bedc859b98ec9578a9d77a608 (MD5) / A quitosana, um poliaminossacarídeo formado por unidades repetidas de D-glucosamina, é derivada da quitina pela retirada do grupo acetila. Apresenta propriedades iônicas favoráveis agindo como quelante, sendo considerado um removedor de contaminantes de águas residuárias. Possui ampla bioatividade, ou seja, é biocompatível, biodegradável, bioadesivo e biossorvente. A quitosana interage por ligações intramoleculares por meio de seus grupos ativos com outras substâncias, pode revestir materiais magnéticos como as nanopartículas superparamagnéticas de magnetita, produzindo um conjugado polímero-magnetita. Materiais superparamagnéticos são susceptíveis ao campo magnético, assim estas partículas podem ser atraídas e agrupadas por aplicação de um campo magnético e como não retêm a magnetização, podem ser desagrupadas e reutilizadas em processos para remoção de contaminantes de rejeitos aquosos. No presente trabalho, preparam-se as partículas magnéticas de magnetita revestidas e funcionalizadas com quitosana (PMQ). O pó de PMQ exibiu uma resposta magnética de atração intensa na presença de um campo magnético sem, contudo tornar-se magnético, um comportamento típico de material superparamagnético. Foi caracterizado por espectrometria de infravermelho por transformada de Fourier e medidas de magnetização. Avaliou-se o seu desempenho de adsorção de urânio (VI), na forma de íon uranilo UO2 2+, com relação às influências da dose, velocidade de agitação, do pH, do tempo de equilíbrio e estudaram-se as isotermas de adsorção bem como o comportamento de dessorção com os íons de carbonato e oxalato. Constatou-se que a melhor remoção ocorreu em pH 5 e que o aumento da dose aumenta a remoção, tornando-se constante acima de 20 g.L-1. Na cinética de adsorção, o tempo para atingir o equilíbrio foi de 20 minutos. O modelo de isoterma que melhor se aplicou aos dados experimentais de adsorção de UO2 2+ foi de Langmuir, sendo a capacidade máxima de adsorção encontrada igual a 41,7 mg.g-1. Do estudo de dessorção com os íons carbonato verificou-se uma recuperação de 94% de UO2 2+ do PMQ contra 49,9% com ío / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

In an attempt to increase opportunity and quality of life for people living in poverty,governments and non-government organisations (NGOs) sell and donate products to developing countries. Typically, these are essential household items such as cook stoves, water filters and solar lighting. However, to date there has been limited research into the uptake and long term effectiveness of these products and few methods or tools are available to guide the product development process. This has resulted in a number of well documented product failures as a result of poor design choices. To overcome this problem and provide guidance to future or existing designers and NGOs this research investigated the factors required for long lasting and effective product design. This was carried out through the use of a literature review, the analysis of 64 products, a survey, interviews with product designers, and a case study with a Social Enterprise in Myanmar (Burma). The information gathered was analysed and used to create a framework consisting of various tools to guide designers and NGOs. Specifically, the research focused on the creation of a taxonomy of products designed for developing countries and an assessment method consisting of eight critical indicators for product success. These were presented as a website, set of cards and book which guides and assists designers during the process to ensure that future products are appropriate and to prevent current unacceptable levels of waste. Following the creation of the framework it was evaluated by students, practitioners and existing product users in Myanmar. The findings revealed that participants felt the assessment method and indicator cards were beneficial during the design process and assisted them in the development of more suitable and appropriate products.

The measurement of turbidity is currently conducted using a variety of methodologies for different applications, primarily using calibration standards composed of formazin, a material which can be difficult to obtain, short-lived, and toxic. The discrepancies between the various measurement methods lead to unreliability in sharing meaningful data across applications, and the deficiencies of the primary calibration standard make it difficult to conduct measurements in appropriate-technology environments. This research focused on examining the current methodologies and synthesizing new materials to use as calibration standards. The selection criteria for these materials were such as to ensure longevity, stability in solution, and ease of creation. Results showed that dilutions of dissolved sodium chloride yielded parabolic regression curves of comparable accuracy to formazin, which could be used for device calibration. These standards can be easily and safely synthesized in appropriate-technology settings. The use of fluorescent materials as calibration standards was also investigated, and the implications of the characteristic curves of turbidity versus solute concentration are discussed.

Thesis (M.M. (ICT Policy and Regulation))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2014. / The research aimed to investigate the supply and demand side factors that enables or hinders the effectiveness of rural connectivity provided through public access points such as the Thusong Service Centres (TSCs). The lack of broadband and terrestrial infrastructure is often cited as the main reason why rural people are not able to participate in the information society. The status of the Mopani District rural connectivity indicates that the digital divide is not always due to the lack of infrastructure, but due to the etic approach towards the deployment of connectivity and the failure to locate rural connectivity within the broader community development goals. The failure to understand the user requirements contributes to the misconception that Very Small Apparatus Terminals (VSAT) satellite technology is an inadequate solution which must be replaced by fixed broadband. On the other hand, the failure of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) blueprint indicates the poor level of e-government readiness within the public service sector. The status of the Mopani TSCs also shows that there is a lack of accountability, cooperation and collaboration across the three spheres of government and that there is a misuse of public funds in cases where connectivity resources are duplicated and not optimally used. The separation of the public service connectivity from the public connectivity creates the digital inequality in the targeted communities. The separation has resulted in connectivity being available to some and not to all, because accessibility is based on personal relationships. In other cases there is constructed denied access due to local politics. 16 years later since the establishment of the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA), the South African Community Informatics (CI) sector is struggling to achieve outputs that produce the desired impact in the targeted communities.

<p>In Lembang, a farming community on western Java, family-sized, plug-flow, polyethylene biogas systems fed with cow dung, are being used as an integrated solution to issues related to energy, agriculture and waste management. Through simple, on-farm research and observation, a number of key problems have been addressed and improvements made to the design. Due to the large supply of cow dung in the area, and the potential to spread the benefits of the technology beyond the homes of dairy farmers, the feasibility of developing a communal, polyethylene biogas system for several households, has been investigated. Experiments on small model-digesters were combined with observations of full-scale biogas systems in use. Measurement equipment and techniques were constructed and developed, in order to measure biogas production and other relevant process parameters. Results indicate that a communal system can be an appropriate choice, but only under a certain set of circumstances.</p>

In Lembang, a farming community on western Java, family-sized, plug-flow, polyethylene biogas systems fed with cow dung, are being used as an integrated solution to issues related to energy, agriculture and waste management. Through simple, on-farm research and observation, a number of key problems have been addressed and improvements made to the design. Due to the large supply of cow dung in the area, and the potential to spread the benefits of the technology beyond the homes of dairy farmers, the feasibility of developing a communal, polyethylene biogas system for several households, has been investigated. Experiments on small model-digesters were combined with observations of full-scale biogas systems in use. Measurement equipment and techniques were constructed and developed, in order to measure biogas production and other relevant process parameters. Results indicate that a communal system can be an appropriate choice, but only under a certain set of circumstances.

Providing support for the agricultural development of small farmers is the main goal of the project Agriculture in Guatemala: Technology, Education and Commercialization (AGTEC). To accomplish this, it is necessary, to identify the characteristics and needs of participants, as well as their environmental, social, and farming conditions. Through this study, two case studies were conducted to identify and analyze the context of small farmers of the region. This research study used qualitative and participative methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and observation, to gather data about the participants' thoughts and opinions concerning their situations. The case study systemically gathered information about the conditions and needs of small farmers to provide a better understanding of the people and their interactions within the farm systems. This needs assessment showed how the farmers' decisions about adoption are related to their interactions on their farms. Therefore, this study analyzed the system, as a whole, to identify priorities among different critical components that will provide optimum results for beneficiaries. These priorities will allow the identification of appropriate technologies that will satisfy the needs of small farmers according to their local, cultural, and economic conditions. The appropriate technologies need to be diffused among the farmers for adoption. Rogers observed that technologies that are diffused by opinion leaders are adopted by their peers. Thus, the second case study analyzed the social networks and their leaders to observe their potential to support the diffusion process of technologies. The study revealed the presence of diverse social networks, one provided by the political structure, others based on organized groups of farmers and other informal networks formed by independent farmers. Data also showed that opinion leaders have desired roles and characteristics among their networks. Therefore diffusion of innovations through formal and non-formal leaders represents a promising strategy as they are recognized and respected by peers. The diffusion of innovations through opinion leaders promotes the active participation of local members, validates the innovations, and sustains adoption over time. Therefore, the analysis of the social networks and selection of opinion leaders supports the diffusion process of the AGTEC project in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.

It is estimated that only one percent of global freshwater is available to humans, with nearly three billion people living in water scarce conditions. Populations living in impoverished settings are particularly vulnerable to water related illnesses, with approximately 2.2 million people dying each year from to waterborne illnesses. This research uses modeling and field studies to assess the quantity, quality, and economics of distillate produced for drinking water from a brackish water source using two single-sloped, single-basin distillation reactors. The reactors were constructed from adobe and concrete in an arid rural community in San Luis Potosí, Mexico and tested from August to October. The cost of one adobe reactor with an evaporative area of 0.65 m2 is 430 pesos, whereas the same size reactor made from concrete costs 630 pesos. Results show that desalination reactors made from adobe produce 848 mL/m2-day and reactors made from concrete produce 979 mL/m2-day of distillate, while similar reactors made from other materials are estimated to produce over 2,100 mL/m2-day under similar meteorological conditions. These volumes represent approximately 10 percent of drinking water needs of a local family with typical water use habits. The concentrations of total dissolved solids in the source water decreased from 1,102 mg/L to 40.3 mg/L over the study's duration for a removal of 96% which is comparable to current desalination systems (97%). Results suggest that over 90% of a household's drinking water demand could be satisfied (91%) if a network of thirteen distillation reactors were constructed and maintained for ten years when compared to purchasing water from private water vendors.