Poor nations 'need science boost' (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Poor nations are being sapped of the technology they need to break the poverty trap and catch up with the rest of the world, the UN has said.

Its trade and development agency Unctad used its annual report on Least Developed Countries to look at the role of science, technology and innovation.

Rather than being luxuries, they are necessities to help economies that are underdeveloped to grow, Unctad argues.

Technology could spur poor nations "to break loose from their poverty trap".

'Lack of balance'

"We do not see the real mainstreaming of technological policies in the poverty reduction strategies," Unctad director general Supachai Panitchpakdi said.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6906682.stm

"Give a man a fish, and you have fed him for a day. Train him as an icthyologist and aquaculturist, and he will soon be exporting farm-bred catfish that's ten times safer than the crap you buy from China."

[lvx35]

1. I would love to be involved in helping with this, as a techie guy.

Helping poor countries with IT would be such an awesome thing. I wonder if there's any good non-profits.

[billyoc]

3. I spoke to the Geek Corps group at a LinuxWorld expo

here in NYC 3-4 years ago, they seemed pretty hard core.

http://www.geekcorps.org/

[lvx35]

5. Awesome! These folks looks great.

I will send a resume their way for volunteering. I just think this kind of work has so much potential to do good.

[billyoc]

7. Yeah, they're getting health clinics talking for the first

time in parts of africa. Where they needed very expensive sat phones before, they're hooking
them up with VoIP and wifi repeaters using milk jugs and pringle cans. Hard core.

[lvx35]

8. Brilliant

I've been thinking about this kind of thing since I saw a wifi signal sent 125 miles in the desert by some nerds with a big dish. I think Solar can do a lot to power this sort of thing too. Anyway, awesome stuff. I hope I can get involved, we'll see.

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Thanks for that link. Now, we need a biogeekcorps to start in on tropical diseases... nt

[chaplainM]

2. Unfortunately, they're getting religion instead. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. ...

:-( Mission Accomplished? :shrug:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. Yes, America certainly does need a boost.

:shrug: