appropriate technology
compound.compound. tools and machines that are designed to be simple, cheap, and easy to fix. They are made to fit the specific needs and environment of the local people who use them.
compound. an ideological movement and its manifestations involving small-scale, decentralized, labor-intensive, and environmentally sustainable technologies. It emphasizes solutions that are locally autonomous and compatible with the cultural and economic conditions of the community.
Solar cookers are a great example of appropriate technology for sunny regions.
The charity focused on appropriate technology, like hand-cranked water pumps, because the village lacked a reliable electricity grid.
The shift toward appropriate technology represents a departure from capital-intensive industrial models, prioritizing ecological harmony and community self-reliance over sheer mechanical efficiency.
The term was coined by E. F. Schumacher in the 1970s, though he initially described the concept as intermediate technology in 1965.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often used as an uncountable concept, though specific inventions can be referred to as 'appropriate technologies'.
Last updated July 22, 2026