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Practical Answers is the Techncial Information Service of Practical Action. It aims to provide a resource on small-scale technologies or intermediate technologies that can be used to improve the lives of people living in poverty. It allows people to access the wealth of technical information within Practical Action and well as bringing togther the knowledge of others.

The service has three main focus areas.

• The Technical Enquiry Service supplying, free of charge, technical and developmental information to development workers, community-based organisations, NGOs and other agencies using appropriate technologies to implement sustainable development.
• Resource Centres and knowledge nodes, based in the Practical Action offices, are open to the public and hold a distinctive collection of appropriate technology and development literature.
• Knowledge Products, Practical Action has created a range of materials such as leaflets, CDs, and online resources covering many appropriate technology subjects. There are over 300 how to manuals, fact sheets, videos and engineering drawings that explain, how to apply these technologies.

This material is complemented by the many books and journals available from Practical Action Publishing through the online development bookshop.

Practiocal Answers works in collaboration with other organsiations and specialists to bring techncial know how to people wokring in development. Some of these partners.

HEDON - The household energy netwok focused on improved stoves and small-scale energy delivery.

Green Empowerment - Collaborating with Soluciones Prácticas on renewable energy

HowtoPedia - A collaborative platform for practical knowledge and simple technologies

Made Good - A site for appropriate technology and social innovation through open-source, collaborative, and participatory design