792 



-16- 



world, it makes little sense to devote so little scientific and technological 

 effort to problems that are peculiarly those of LDC's. 



Much of this R&D cannot and should not be done in industrialized 

 countries, for practical as well as philosophical and political reasons. To 

 be effective, to work on the right problems, to be sensitive to local needs 

 and preferences, to produce solutions that fit and are likely to be adopted, 

 to keep up with and adapt technology, all require R&D defined and carried out 

 locally. In turn, this implies attention to the building of the scientific 

 and technological infrastructure in LDC's. 



But, this does not mean that an_ R&D relevant to LDC needs must be carried 

 out in LDC's. Many areas of basic research can more effectively be done in 

 existing laboratories; many problems are generic and can be more quickly 

 investigated in experienced laboratories with resources and skills already 

 deployed; many technological problems require general solutions before 

 locally-adapted applications are possible. Perhaps most important is finding 

 ways to commit scientists and engineers in industrialized count^-ies to work on 

 problems of development in a sustained way that allows cumulative benefits and 

 continuous attention. Long-term availability of financial resources is 

 essential, not only to make such commitment possible, but also to make such a 

 commitment respectable in the eyes of disciplinary peers. 



Transfer of existing technology to LDC's, all that was thought necessary 

 in the past is not an adequate alternative. Though some will always be 

 useful, the lessons of experience show that such transfer, especially of 

 "public" technologies of health and agriculture, is ineffective or 

 inappropriate without adequate receptors to choose, adapt, finance and develop 



