Dec. 82/Jan. 83 RAIN Page 20 WALLOWING IN DEVELOPMENT The Loss of Ecological Information What has happened in our honest attempts to do research that genuinel~' serves the people of the Third World, is that \\'e have often tailed to see the ripples of our actions in the sea of development. by Jim Riker It is becoming increasingly apparent that we must from one setting to the next without presenting some explore the interplay between the ecological, social, econ adverse results. Consideration of the context in which omic, and cultural environments of Third World villages development is occurring is crucial. Experience in devin order to offer any insight about development. Our elopment shows that loss of the ecological dynamics is understandings of the complex relationships and circum occurring, thus emphasizing the need for a context specistances which characterize the needs of Third World fic science which recognizes these dynamics. Rather than villages remain inadequate to capture their dynamic in relying solely on conventional approaches to developteractions. Yet, valuable information is contained in the ment, it is time to evaluate the intended purpose behind complementary relationships which exist between people the research which is dedicated to serving the people of and their natural environment. In fact, scientists and developing countries. technical experts working on development questions One of the latest approaches to direct science and have begun to re-examine the inherent wisdom of tradi technology towards serving development is by the Board tional technologies and natural systems indigenous to on Science and Technology for International Developthe Third World as possibilities for sound and sustainable ment (BOSTID), a research arm of the U.S. National development. Most importantly, there has been the in Academy of Sciences. The expressed purpose of BOSTID creasing realization that biological entities and technol is to examine "the ways in which science and technology ogies, appropriate or not, often cannot be transplanted can stimulate and complement the complex process of
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