Decision-making criteria and indicators for water and sanitation projects in developing countries

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Garfì ◽  
Laia Ferrer-Martí
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Multicriteria Analysis ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Basic Sanitation

Water and sanitation projects for solving the needs of small communities in developing countries are complex in nature and involve complex decision-making, which must consider technical, socio-economic and environmental dimensions. Multicriteria analysis (MCA) is a suitable decision-aid method that scores a finite number of options on the basis of a set of evaluation criteria. The main challenge in MCA is choosing the appropriate criteria and evaluation indicators to use for assessment. The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive and wide list of criteria and evaluation indicators as a guideline in MCA of water and basic sanitation projects in small rural communities of developing countries. First, the paper details the general criteria to be considered in all the projects, which are classified in to 4 main groups: technical (e.g. local resources use, appropriate management); social (e.g. local community participation, overcoming discrimination of conflict); economic (e.g. low cost, employment of local staff) and environmental criteria (e.g. atmospheric emissions, water pollution). Then, it describes technical criteria to be additionally considered in each specific type of project: water supply (e.g. water needs, independent access), water treatment (e.g. constant resource availability, flexibility of use for different types of water) and basic sanitation projects (e.g. maximum number of people per system, effluent quality).

A comprehensive review of otorhinolaryngological global health concerns

2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (11) ◽  
pp. 930-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Declan C Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Multifaceted Approach ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Local Healthcare

AbstractBackgroundENT disease prevalence, risk factors and treatment vary between developed and developing countries. Health provision, particularly disease prevention strategies and surgery, in developing countries is poor, manifesting as a high frequency of common and preventable diseases. Healthcare systems in developing countries are unsustainable, and the technological advances that provide ENT surgery with novel diagnostic and treatment opportunities are inaccessible.ConclusionA multifaceted approach is essential to improve the care of patients with ENT diseases in developing countries. Public health efforts must focus on educating the local community, reducing high-risk behaviours and decreasing the frequency of preventable diseases. Governments must be pressured to prioritise the funding of long-term, sustainable efforts with effective disease prevention strategies. Providing local healthcare professionals with high-quality ENT training so that self-sustaining and low-cost care can be delivered, mainly in a primary care setting, is key.

scholarly journals Participatory approaches, local stakeholders and cultural relevance facilitate an impactful community-based project in Uganda

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1353-1368 ◽  
Author(s):  
James O’Donovan ◽  
Andrew Thompson ◽  
Christina Stiles ◽  
Japheth A Opintan ◽  
Ken Kabali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Participatory Methods ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Local Stakeholders

Abstract Sanitation is a major global challenge that is often addressed at national and international levels, while community opinions and beliefs are neglected. To promote water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) we organized a cross-cultural knowledge exchange workshop to assess participatory methods for engaging local stakeholders. The workshop included 22 participants from all sectors of society. Practical solutions to sanitation challenges were identified and later shared with a local community. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to assess impact and showed participatory methods were highly valued to encourage information sharing among widely varied stakeholders, and that video was a particularly successful approach when engaging with local communities. An 8-month follow-up survey of village members revealed excellent information recall, positive behaviour changes and a desire for future visits. Our evidence suggests that community-based participation helped identify solutions to WASH issues affecting rural communities in resource-poor settings. Engaging in a multicultural knowledge-share was particularly valuable as it enabled participants to recognize they have common challenges and allowed them to share low-cost solutions from their different communities. Our use of video was widely viewed as an ideal means of circulating findings, as it communicated information to people with a wide variety of community roles and to all age groups. Its relevance was increased by adopting a culturally appropriate context by involving local communities in workshop activities. We recommend that research in low- and middle-income countries should be mindful of the environmental context in which WASH is implemented, and encourage acceptance by engaging with communities through the use of varied participatory methods.

scholarly journals Ideas and Perspectives: Enhancing research and monitoring of carbon pools and land-to-atmosphere greenhouse gases exchange in developing countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Gill Kim ◽  
Ben Bond-Lamberty ◽  
Youngryel Ryu ◽  
Bumsuk Seo ◽  
Dario Papale
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Moral Importance ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
C Cycle

Abstract. Carbon (C) and greenhouse gas (GHG) research has traditionally required data collection and analysis using advanced and often expensive instruments, complex and proprietary software, and skilled technicians. Partly as a result, relatively little C and GHG research has been conducted in resource-constrained developing countries. At the same time, these are the same countries and regions in which climate-change impacts will likely be strongest, and in which major science uncertainties are centred, given the importance of dryland and tropical systems to the global C cycle. Increasingly, scientific communities have adopted appropriate technology and approach (AT&A) for C and GHG research, which focuses on low-cost and low-technology instruments, open source software and data, and participatory and networking-based research approaches. Adopting AT&A can mean acquiring data with fewer technical constraints and lower economic burden and is thus a strategy for enhancing C and GHG research in developing countries. However, AT&A can be characterized by higher uncertainties; these can often be mitigated by carefully designing experiments, providing clear protocols for data collection, and monitoring and validating the quality of obtained data. For implementing this approach in developing countries, it is first necessary to recognize the scientific and moral importance of AT&A. At the same time, new AT&A techniques should be identified and further developed. All these processes should be promoted in collaboration with local researchers and through training local staff and encouraged for wide use and further innovation in developing countries.

scholarly journals Reviews and syntheses: Enhancing research and monitoring of land-to-atmosphere greenhouse gases exchange in developing countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Gill Kim ◽  
Ben Bond-Lamberty ◽  
Youngryel Ryu ◽  
Bumsuk Seo ◽  
Dario Papale
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Local Staff ◽  
Critical Data ◽  
Moral Importance ◽  
Data Gap ◽  
Set Up

Abstract. Greenhouse gas (GHG) research has traditionally required data collection and analysis using advanced and often expensive instruments, complex and proprietary software, and skilled technicians. Partly as a result, relatively little GHG research has been conducted in resource-constrained developing countries and a critical data gap exists in these regions. At the same time, these are the same countries and regions in which climate-change impacts will likely be strongest, and in which major science uncertainties are centered, given the importance of dryland and tropical systems to the global carbon cycle and climate. Increasingly, scientific communities have adopted appropriate technology and approach (AT&A) for GHG research, including low-cost and low-technology instruments, open source software and data, and participatory and networking-based research approaches. Adopting AT&A can mean acquiring data with fewer technical constraints and lower economic burden, and is thus a strategy for enhancing GHG research in developing countries. However, AT&A can be characterized by higher uncertainties; these can often be mitigated by carefully designing experimental set-up, providing clear protocols for data collection, and monitoring and validating the quality of obtained data. For implementing this approach in GHG research of developing countries, first, it is necessary to recognize the scientific and moral importance of AT&A. At the same time, new AT&A techniques should be identified and further developed. Finally, these processes should be promoted through training local staff and encouraged for wide use and further innovation in developing countries.

scholarly journals Global challenges in water, sanitation and health

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (S1) ◽  
pp. 41-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine L. Moe ◽  
Richard D. Rheingans
Keyword(s):  
Water Reuse ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Safe Water ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Basic Sanitation ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sanitation Systems

The year 2005 marks the beginning of the “International Decade for Action: Water for Life” and renewed effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce by half the proportion of the world's population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2015. Currently, UNICEF and WHO estimate that 1.1 billion people lack access to improved water supplies and 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation. Providing safe water and basic sanitation to meet the MDGs will require substantial economic resources, sustainable technological solutions and courageous political will. We review five major challenges to providing safe water and sanitation on a global basis: (1) contamination of water in distribution systems, (2) growing water scarcity and the potential for water reuse and conservation, (3) implementing innovative low-cost sanitation systems, (4) providing sustainable water supplies and sanitation for megacities, and (5) reducing global and regional disparities in access to water and sanitation and developing financially sustainable water and sanitation services.

Identification and Assessment of Offbeat Destinations for Community-Based Ecotourism Development and Promotion in Uttarakhand, India

2020 ◽  
pp. 59-77
Author(s):  
Satish Chandra Bagri ◽  
Devkant Kala
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Tourism Development ◽  
Qualitative Investigation ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Indian Himalaya ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Promotional Strategies ◽  
And Training

Many developing countries have adopted ecotourism as a benign strategy to cope with the challenges related to the development of rural communities and protection of natural resources. Considering the vast potential for tourism development, Uttarakhand – a mountainous state located in the Indian Himalaya have identified some pristine locations for community-based ecotourism (CBET) development. Since these locations in the involvement stage of development, it is important to assess ecotourism potential, challenges, and attitudes of stakeholders towards tourism development. This qualitative investigation has assessed the ecotourism development opportunities and given voice to locals, tourists, and tourism planners. Findings reveal that identified offbeat destinations have enormous ecotourism products, and attitude of all the concerned stakeholders is positive towards tourism development. The study emphasizes the need for developing tourism facilities, education and training, involvement of residents in decision-making, and designing promotional strategies to promote CBET in these areas.

scholarly journals Robust E-Health Communication Architecture for Rural Communities in Developing Countries

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-240
Author(s):  
F. E. Idachaba ◽  
E. M. Idachaba
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Communication Architecture ◽  
Quality Healthcare ◽  
Communication Devices

The lack of access to quality healthcare and the lack of sufficient manpower, especially doctors, in rural areas is a major healthcare challenge faced by dwellers in rural communities in most developing countries. The intervention of governments, which range from the introduction of training programs aimed at producing health workers from schools of health technology and nursing to the recalling and deployment of retired nurses to rural areas, has still not been able to generate the desired improvement in healthcare delivery, as outbreaks of epidemics are still being reported in such areas. This work presents an E-Health architecture which utilizes low cost sensors and communication devices to link the doctors in the urban areas with the patients in rural areas enabling doctors-patients interaction. The system enables accurate and timely diagnosis of the patients and facilitates proper treatment plans. It also incorporates an epidemic alert which enables the tracking of diseases and the early detection and control of epidemics.

News Notes

1981 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 30-35 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
National Plan ◽  
Water And Sanitation

Mary Elmendorf is currently serving as consultant to the CDM WASH Project, working on the issues of designing community participation (including women) in all levels of decision-making and access to benefits in water and sanitation projects in developing countries. Elmendorf spent two months last summer in Sri Lanka as a member of a team helping to develop a national plan for water and sanitation. She worked on the issues of equity and community participation.

Appropriate technologies for environmental hygiene

1980 ◽  
Vol 209 (1174) ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Environmental Hygiene ◽  
Major Constraint ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
The Face

Appropriate technologies for environmental hygiene usually centre on the delivery of adequate and accessible water supply, and proper treat­ment and disposal of excreta and refuse. In the face of the International Drinking Water and Sanitation Decade of 1981-90, several research efforts are under way in the developing countries to develop technologies and approaches for improving environmental hygiene in both rural areas and urban squatter settlements. These are discussed and include the technical development and field testing of infiltration galleries, low-cost slow and fast filtration processes for water treatment, handpumps, on-site excreta disposal using aqua-privy and compost toilets, and excreta treatment and refuse through composting with refuse, biogas generation, fish culture and use of excreta as crop fertilizer. The relevant technology ‘hardware’ is but one of several components necessary for effective delivery of services. The dearth of qualified manpower at all levels is described as being the major constraint to the Water and Sanitation Decad.

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