COIMBATORE: The Small Enterprise Development Agency in South Africa is looking out for technology transfer from the units here to the small enterprises in that country, especially in small-scale manufacturing, food processing and steel re-rolling.

Representatives of the South African agency had meetings with the members of the Coimbatore District Small Industries' Association and the National Small Industries Corporation here on Saturday.

Charles A Wyeth, Executive Manager of the agency told The Hindu on Sunday that the objective of the visit was to explore and facilitate tie-ups between small-scale units in South Africa and Coimbatore for technology transfer. "We would like to acquire necessary technologies for small industries," he said.

South Africa had thousands of small-scale enterprises and the focus areas of the agency were small-scale mining, information technology, engineering, food processing and the chemical sector. Many of the technologies available in South Africa were suitable for the units in the urban areas.

India and China had technology for small-scale industries, he said.

"We want to see if it is possible and use the technology for the economic empowerment of small enterprises in rural areas." Economic empowerment of women was another thrust area the agency focussed on.

The two members of the agency who were here for three days also visited some industries here.

On their plans to visit Coimbatore again, they said: "It is our intention to try to bring some small business owners with us probably for the agriculture fair to be held here in September," Mr. Wyeth said.

The CODISSIA president, K. Balachandran, said the association had shown some of the projects of small-scale units here to the visitors.

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