Understanding the Technology Assessment Framework (TAF)

Understanding the Technology Assessment Framework (TAF)

“Let’s invite WASHTECH to apply the TAF tool on this Household Water Treatment and Storage(HWTS) technology (communities choices system)  to determine whether it needs to be scaled up” This came up at the 26th edition of the National Learning Alliance Platform meeting, which recently took place in Accra on theme,Household Water Treatment and Storage Strategy in Ghana.

Members of the WASHTech learning alliance present had to respond by further explaining and updating stakeholders on the project and the TAF. Abu Wumbei of the WASHTech Ghana team explained that the TAF was indeed a tool that could be used to assess the said HWTS technology, but that the tool was currently being tested on some selected technologies; and that these will enable the fine-tuning of the tool to suit the local situation and context. Thereafter, according to him, the tool will be in full operation; owned and managed by our sector institutions; and that the NLLAP platform will be part of the process.

After a series of awareness creation through multi-stakeholder consultation, distribution of project leaflets, sharing at various sector platforms and through the media; it appears stakeholders are beginning to appreciate and recognise the need for a tool similar to the TAF.

Considering the assessment of the situation that led to the development of the idea of a TAF and the gap it seeks to fill in the sector, it is pertinent for sector institutions and stakeholders to embrace the tool, develop the interest in finding out what the WASHTech Ghana project is trying to achieve with the tool and perhaps the role they might play in it.

It is also imperative for sector institutions like the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (EHSD-MLGRD), Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and Civil Society Networks to understand the components of the TAF, the way it is supposed to be used, the current level of development of the TAF, and the potential applications of the TAF in their work.

Finally, it is crucial for the sector to ensure the TAF is embedded in the processes of the EHSD-MLGRD, CWSA and MMDA. This will ensure the use of the TAF either by themselves, their organisations or others. This could generate interesting feedback from experience that could inform the way the TAF is put in practice, pointing to limitations and opportunities.

For more information on the WASHTech project and the TAF visit the project website: www.washtechafrica.wordpress.com  - Abu Wumbei