What are Intermediate Technologies?
It can be enlightening to categorize technologies based on three different frameworks: - Indigenous - Industrial - Intermediate
- Because Intermediate Technology is a smaller advancement from the base indigenous technology, it allows other aspects of infrastructure (roads, distribution, raw material resources) to evolve in proportion.
- Characteristics of Intermediate Technology include:
- Easy to use and understand
- Flexible manufacture and usage
- Locally available materials, manufacturing, and repair
- Long-term viability (same as sustainability?)
- Affordability
- Usefulness
- Culturally acceptable
- Durability
- Scalable and expandable
- Rethink your seed starting routine. How will you do it without potting soil, grow lights, or warming mats? Consider building manure-heated hotbeds, utilizing your own compost, constructing a greenhouse or coldframe, direct seeding early versions of transplanted crops, etc...
- Check out this design project for ideas on creating a rural homestead using Intermediate Technologies: link