Let’s begin with the first chapter in Geography, Resources and Development.

Now the question, what is a resource? Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is:

First one, technologically accessible, technologically accessible means it is easy to approach, that is a technology which is easy to approach. Now the technology of converting of solar and wind energy is available so we can say it is technologically accessible.

Second one, economically feasible, economically feasible means capable of being accomplished. Solar and wind energy is widely used because it is economically available.

Culturally acceptable that is commonly accepted in the society. Now this can be termed as a resource.

Anything that completes these three points will be called as a resource. So here we can say, solar energy and wind is a resource.

This was just one example, like that we can take anything in our day to day life, it should complete these three points.

Now, if I take this, the process of transformation of things available in our environment involves an interdependent relation between nature, technology and institution. In this example, the word ‘nature’ refers to land and climate. ‘Technology’ refers to method of cultivation. ‘Institution’ refers to various organizations involved in the development of agriculture.

Now human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their economic development. That is to speed up economic development.

Do you think that resources are free gifts of nature as it is assumed by many? They are not. Resources are a function of human activities. Human beings themselves are essential components of resources. For example, latex as you can see in this picture is a natural product we obtain from rubber tree. This is converted into rubber.

So we can say that, human beings transform material available in our environment into resources and use them.