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Enabling bioinnovation for poverty allevation in Asia.

Science and Technology in Civil Society Innovation Trajectory of Spirulina Algal Technology

C SHAMBU PRASAD  Economic and Political Weekly October 1, 2005

The role of civil society in influencing public opinion towards more democratic
and developmental approaches is now well-recognised in diverse fields such as health,
education, livelihoods, issues relating to disadvantaged social groups and the environment. Yet,
science and technology in India is predominantly seen as the preserve of the state, and more
recently the market. In the linear model of innovation, civil society is seen at best as having a
role in extension or the delivery of technology produced elsewhere. This paper, a study of
science in civil society, questions this assumption through the case study of the work of a
civil society-led initiative in spirulina algal technology. It highlights the need for an
institutional transformation of the scientific establishment into learning organisations if they
are to focus on development with a pro-poor or human face.

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