POVERTY ERADICATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION APPROACH, A CASE STUDY OF SRI LANKA

Abstract

The contributions of this paper are manifold: First, it presents the Technology and Poverty Reduction Framework that integrate all the key stakeholders involved in the process of Research & Development (R&D) and technological innovation in Sri Lanka by linking farmers, fishermen and small and medium scale enterprises. Second, it presents a new framework for Technology Development Directions and shows the Sri Lanka’s low equilibrium trap position. Third, this paper analyzes the history of technology development in Sri Lanka. Many technological innovations have been made or transferred during the last few decades in Sri Lanka in many fields. However, the majority of the population has not had adequate access to these new technologies, especially communities involved in small/medium, micro and cottage industries, agriculture and fisheries are out of the reach of these new technologies. Therefore, this paper proposes an agenda for the development of new technological advances and seeks to identify ways in which technology could be made to be accessible to all segments of the population. It also has the distinction of being one of the first papers that explored the history of technology development as well as the link between technology and poverty eradication in the context of Sri Lanka. Finally, it emphasizes that massive investment on S&T, R&D, innovation, technology transfer and acquisition itself will not be the solution to eradicate poverty without proper integration approach to disseminate these new technologies to poor.