Need for Effective Technology Transfer to Ensure Sustainability of Otta Seal

Abstract

The Otta (graded aggregate) seal technology originated in the 1960s in the Otta Valley in Norway. This type of bituminous seal was first introduced to Botswana in the late 1970s with design and construction being initially undertaken in-house and subsequently by the private sector. However, a somewhat haphazard approach to the transfer of this relatively new technology from the public to the private sector was largely responsible for initial suppression of the acceptance of this innovative type of surfacing despite its eminent suitability for use with locally available, marginal-quality aggregates. Many lessons were learned from this experience; these lessons are likely to be useful to other countries in which the introduction of the Otta seal is being contemplated. The primary objective of this study is to highlight the critical importance of undertaking effective technology transfer to ensure the sustainability of any new type of technology, such as the Otta seal. The path from research to implementation of new technology is considered, including the typical constraints and barriers faced in the African region. In the context of the Otta seal experience in Botswana, typical barriers and constraints to its ready adoption by the private sector are identified and measures for overcoming them are proposed. It is concluded that a carefully crafted, proactive approach to technology transfer is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the Otta seal in countries where it is being introduced for the first time.