Nano-dialogues: Helping scientists to meet poor people’s needs

Researchers from Demos, Practical Action and the University of Lancaster collaborated on a project designed to engage Zimbabwean community groups and scientists, from both the North and South, in debates about new nanotechnologies. The dialogue was one of four experiments in public engagement with nanotechnologies, known as the nano-dialogues, funded by the Sciencewise programme of the UK Office of Science and Technology.

Providingclean water to rural and peri-urban communities inZimbabwe is complex. The dialogues enabled a full understanding of this complexproblem in relation to both economic and behavioural changes. The discussionand modelling of the problem situation helped to explain areas of concern inrelation to water supply, technology, and culture.

Thepotential for nanotechnologies to help improve the quality of water supply wasnot raised until there was a clear understanding of the problem in the localcontext by scientists and the local communities. The meetings focused on hownanotechnology could solve Zimbabwe’s water problems. Among other things,participants discussed a recent trial in South Africa of a nanotechnology-basedfilter for decontaminating drinking water.

Participantsexpressed a desire to see the technology working in their communities. At theend of the second day the tentative conclusion that ‘there is no real waterquality issue that cannot be solved with existing technologies’ was agreed; butby the end of the dialogues many felt that nanotechnologies might make acontribution to improving water quality. Participants called for poorcommunities to be involved in debates about whether nanotechnologies cancontribute to social and economic development.

Theway forward will need to take account of the risks and costs in addition to theopportunities for real benefits to poor people. This dialogue happened at atime before many products using nanotechnologies had entered the market. Wehope that such early discussions will enable scientists to take account of the needsof the poor. This might help deliver public value from science.