Organizations

About Howtopedia

Who we are?
A non-profit organization based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Our Vision
The vision behind howtopedia is the belief in an autonomous, alternative development through the diffusion of simple technologies and practical knowledge. We believe that each individual should have at his reach tools and information for empowerment.
Internet is a powerful media, which more and more people are aware of as an inestimable source of information. The specific resource for development aid is increasing constantly, but there is a need for a one-stop information place addressed to the broad public.

Our Mission
Our objective is to become the reference for people looking for resources for empowerment. We promote simple technologies in all areas of daily life.
howtopedia focuses on a bottom-up strategy. It collects and disseminates self-help resources and know-how in order to facilitate the local self-organization worldwide.

Simple technologies

• Cause minimal cost
• Use local materials
• Require minimal skills
• Are easy to maintain
• Protect the environment and comply with the principle of sustainability
• Are solution-oriented
• Help acquire new skills

Core tasks
howtopedia’s central activities are:

• The propagation and promotion of simple technologies
• The collection of knowledge in the field of simple technologies and practical knowledge
• The exchange of knowledge, and knowledge transfer between organizations, research institutes, innovators and individuals
• Promoting the innovation
• Facilitating access to information, especially in transitional and developing countries
• The recruitment of new users

Means
howtopedia provides an Internet platform that can be exploited as an open online library by registered organizations and individuals across borders. Its content is the result of collaborative work and it acts as an interface between information providers and users. howtopedia pursues information control.

How to take part to our project
You can participate by :

• Sharing your experience by writing or translating articles. Contact us to get a user name and editing rights
• Inform us about free of right information sources
• Using the site and talking about it
• Sending us your feedback about the website or your story at info@howtopedia.org
• Or help us financialy for hardware, software, maintenance and communication expenses. Support howtopedia!

If you would like to publish an article but do not have time, e-maill us your project page link, or send the documents and we will add your project page to our library.

Financing
howtopedia is committed to not-for-profit principles. The work of the association is supported by staff and volunteers from Switzerland and worldwide. The funding is achieved through membership fees, donations and contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, governmental and international organizations. However, howtopedia accepts contributions only if full independence in conducting the projects is guaranteed.

How to contact us

• info at howtopedia.org (de, en, es, fr, it, pt, tr)

// Howtopedia // Maud Châtelet // Langstrasse 193 // 8004 Zürich // Switzerland // 00 41 76 422 3003

Special thanks
We would like to thank especially Practical Action and INTI for their confidence and their support.

We need your support to finance the project. Any help is very welcomed: Support howtopedia!

Many Thanks to all of you.

Partner Organisations

The following organizations are partnering with howtopedia and contribute to the constrctuction of the library:

INTI

INTI is the International Network for Technical Information which was founded in 1998. The main objective of the network is to create a synergy to improve the services provided through co-operation and mutual support. It links significant European institutions which are providing technical information mainly in the fields of agriculture and nutrition, veterinary medicine, energy, water and sanitation, building, textiles and training. INTI supports organisations in the south to run local inquiry services by capacity building and by answering very specific questions

Generally, INTI is not restricted to European groups but is open to all information services whose technical focus is on so-called appropriate technologies.

INTI members aspire:

• to improve the exchange of information in the field of technical enquiries,
• to increase knowledge and skills,
• to save resources by the exchange of materials,
• to link development work,
• to increase the impact of the question and answer services.

Contact

http://www.inti-online.org/

INTI Members

Agromisa Centre for Small-Scale Sustainable Agriculture
http://www.gcw.nl/kiosk/agrodok/default.cfm
http://www.agromisa.org/

DIO - Diergeneeskunde In Ontwikkelingssamenwerking
Foundation for Veterinary Medicine in Developing Cooperation
http://www.dio.nl/

WOT - Working Group On Development Techniques
http://www.wot.utwente.nl

GATE-GTZ - German Appropriate Technology Exchange - German Agency for Technical Cooperation
http://www.gtz.de/gate

TaT - Transferzentrum für angepasste Technologien Gmbh
Transfer Centre For Appropriate Technologies
http://www.tat-zentrum.de

FAKT Beratung für Management, Bildung und Technologien GmbH
http://www.fakt-consult.de

HDRA - Henry Doubleday Research Association - The organic association Ryton Organic Gardens
http://www.hdra.org.uk

Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development
http://www.practicalaction.org

Practical Action

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Practical Action was founded in 1966, as ITDG (the Intermediate Technology Development Group), by the economist Dr EF Schumacher according to his philosophy of ‘Small is Beautiful’ to bring real and sustainable improvements to people’s lives.

Practical Action has a specific approach to development – not to start with technology, but with people. The tools may be simple or sophisticated – but to provide long-term, appropriate and practical answers, they must be firmly in the hands of local people: people who shape technology and control it for themselves.

Using technology to change the world

Practical Action believes that the right idea – however small – can change lives. It can create jobs, improve health and livelihoods, and help people have better lives. That's why, since 1966, Practical Action has been working with poor people to develop the skills and technology that will enable them to build a better future.

http://www.practicalaction.org
The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development, Bourton on Dunsmore, RUGBY, CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom.
Tel.: +44 (0) 1926 634400, Fax: +44 (0) 1926 634401
e-mail: practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk

Scientifical Online Libraries on Agriculture and Technology

AJOL African Journals Online: database of over 175 digitised African journals.
http://www.ajol.info

AGLINET Agricultural Libraries Network
http://www.fao.org/library/_Info_ServicesEN/aglinetEN.htm

AGORA Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture
http://www.aginternetwork.

AGRIS International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology
http://www.fao.org/agris

@SIC Archive ouverte en sciences de l'information et de la communication
http://archivesic.ccsd.cnrs.fr

Bioline International
http://www.bioline.org.br/

CABI Information for Development Program
http://www.cabi.org/datapage.asp?iDocID=234

'CGVlibrary CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
http://vlibrary.cgiar.org

Dgroups
http://www.dgroups.org

EIFL Electronic Information for Libraries
http://www.eifl.net/

EOLSS Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems
http://www.eolss.net/

Google Scholar
http://scholar.google.

GDNet's. Free Journals Access Portal For Social Sciences
http://www.gdnet.org/online_services/journals/gdn_journal_services/index.html

HINARI Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative
http://www.who.int/hinari/en/?lang=en

IAALD International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists
http://www.iaald.org

ICT Update http://www.ictupdate.cta.int

iNARS Forum Information and Agricultural Services http://www.dgroups.org/groups/iNARS

INASP International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications
http://www.inasp.info/

INFOTECScientific and Technological Information System for the Agricultural Sector in the Americas
http://www.infotec.ws
http://www.infoagro.net/infotec

ISTEC Ibero-American Science and Technology Education Consortium
http://www.istec.org/

INIST Institute for Scientific and Technical Information
Open Access to Scientific and Technical Information
http://www.inist.fr/openaccess/index.htm

PERI Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information
http://www.inasp.info/peri/index.html

Scidev
http://www.scidev.net

SIST Système d'information scientifique et technique
www.sistsciencesdev.net/index.html

SIDALC
http://orton.catie.ac.cr/defaulten.htm

TEEAL The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library
http://www.teeal.org

USAIN United States Agricultural Information Network
http://usain.org/developingresources.html

Other WIKI's

• MakerWiki.com
• Hoemoetdatdan.nl Dutch site with movies which show how to do things. Possibility to upload your own movies.
• how-2.tv Howto site with movies which show how to do things. Possibility to upload your own movies.
• appropedia.org Appropedia is an open library wiki, focused on two core initiatives: Reducing poverty through International Development and increasing sustainability through the use of Appropriate Technology
• http://www.infobridge.org Infobridge is a shared repository with information on organisations, projects, experts as well as many documents and good practicies in the area of agriculture, NRM, ICT4D.Possibility to manage and upload own information.
• The NewWays Community cultivates practical ideas to support social equality, environmental sustainability, and conscious consumption towards a balanced ecology and economy. Check out our short video on how NewWays can work for you!