From the Preface:

People interested in international development often have very different views about the value of science. At one extreme, some see science and technology providing the principal means for reducing poverty, eliminating disease and improving well being. At another extreme, science is seen as part of an imposed, external regime, associated with industrial exploitation and suppression of indigenous knowledge.

Fluctuations over recent decades in perspectives on development create a similar diversity of roles for science. Development policy makers seem to listen to social scientists or natural scientists, but rarely both.

Today the issue of the role of science could not be more alive, as we sit between cycles of development thinking. Having pursued a welfare-oriented agenda in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we now face a global economic crisis which is focusing attention again on economic growth. Foundations, businesses and civil society organisations are becoming more important development players, and we are seeing them take very different views on the role of science. One needs only to look at recent dialogue on genetically modified (GM) crops to see how polarized communities have become, in both rich and poor countries, about the value of science and innovation in a development context.

We hope that this book will give anyone who is interested in international development a clearer picture of the role that science and innovation can play. We firmly believe that science is only one of many factors which can contribute to development, but we want that factor to be well understood, particularly as science is often presented in a way which is not easily accessible to the non-specialist.

Scientific education, knowledge and research are crucial to solving development challenges. Science as a tool for providing evidence and discovering solutions has been neglected recently by many key decision makers, Science and Innovation for Development aims to play a part in changing that.

*This book is available for free download at the link listed below.