History
The PRACTICA foundation started in 2001 as an initiative of a group of professionals dealing with low-cost water and energy supply in developing countries. The purpose of this initiative was to provide NGOs, private sector organizations and the public sector with practical know-how. Experience is that there is a substantial body of affordable low-cost options readily available which could make significant contributions to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.
For a number of reasons, these innovations are applied haphazardly and fragmented in most countries. Examples of such promising technologies and services are: manual well drilling, filter systems, rope pumps, manual deep well pumping systems, low cost drip irrigation systems, solar pumps, water storage and others.
In the course of its existence PRACTICA has learned that there is a very large potential of affordable technologies and a large scope to implement these. There is a substantial pool of proven technologies, available in one country but unknown in others.
The major strategic change in operations since PRACTICA was established in 2001, has been the increase in the number of countries where PRACTICA is active (especially in Africa) and the increase in the number of innovations we promote.
Another strategic change over the last three years has been to pay more attention to systematic capacity building in addition to the introduction of new technologies and services. Part of this is to be oriented towards large players (in civil society, government and private sector) in the different countries so as to increase leverage.
