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Uses of ICTs for Development
Devyani Mani, UNCRD
Is there sufficient knowledge on ICTs for Development?
Focus on need for incorporation of ICTs but… Limited documentation of best practices Documentation does not include political, cultural, and social concerns
ICTs and Human Security
Economic development of poor communitiesSocial development, empowerment, and social capitalEnvironmental managementCultural preservationAccountability and good governance
Economic development of poor
Creation of new economic activities and opportunities Increasing efficiency in existing activities
ProductivityAccess to marketsE-commerce
Constraints in using ICTs for the Poor
Heeks:Source proximityTrustKnowledgeConfidence and security
What do the poor need?
Ability to assess and apply informationLocally relevant informationICTs to give them voiceIntelligent and dedicated intermediaries
Poor and development agents, markets
Community intermediariesControl over technology
Social development
EducationTeachers vs. computersTopic-specific educationAdult educationRadio, TV
HealthHealth related information dissemination
Impacts on Women
Access to information for empowerment and participation in economic, community, and household activities Grameen mobile phonesWomen as sources of information Child care, crops, nutrition, local indigenous medicine
Empowerment and Social Capital
Strengthening of communities for participation in developmentLiberation of marginalized groupsLinking diverse communities (bridging)Linking communities with government (linking)
Environmental Management
Natural resources managementDisaster mitigationGeographic Information Systems (GIS)Information dissemination Communication between stakeholders
Cultural Preservation
Cultural heritage and diversityFundamentalism and ethnocentricity
Good governance, transparency, and accountability
“The right to information has often been described as one of the most effective tools in the hands of citizens not only to fight corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power in the structures of government, but also to participate in governance.”
Good governance
EfficiencyDecision-makingCoordinationInformation disseminationMulti-stakeholder participation Reduced corruption
Risks in using ICTs for improving governance and service delivery
Acceptance of concerned agencyReform agendaIdentification of information systems requirementsEvolutionary approachPrioritizationConsultation and participation of stakeholders
Experiments in Narrowing the Digital Divide
Two best practices
Gyandoot, Dhar District, Madhya Pradesh, India
Initiated 2000Stockholm Challenge Award 2000
Village Knowledge Centres, Pondicherry, India
Initiated 1998Stockholm Challenge Award 2001
ICTs for the rural poor:
Increase economic activity Provide social services Empowerment Both best practices have been replicated successfully throughout their regions
The Gyandoot Project
Aim: Establishment of Community ownedInnovative and Sustainable IT project In a very poor and backward area
(income < US$ 250/year).
Social and economic development needsE-governance, e-commerce, e-education
Information Demand from Villagers
Participatory Rural Appraisals Results
Information on agricultural produce auction ratesLand records Complaints and redressal – government services
Services provided Agriculture produce auction centresCopies of land recordsOn-line registration of applicationsOn-line public grievance redressalInformation on government programmesRural e-mailVillage auctionOn-line matrimonial siteAsk the expert Free e-mail facility on social issues
Project Reach
31 village information kiosksCovering > 600 villages (1 kiosk for 25-30 villages)Population 500,000 people (60% poor)Kiosks are located in village committee buildings, schools, or markets
Mode of Operation
Operator – Soochak Selected by village committee and local community after preliminary trainingSoochak is trained by District Council The kiosk is run on commercial lines Soochak is an entrepreneur and earns from user charges10% of income is commission to District for maintenance of network
Setting up a kiosk
Cost of a kiosk US$ 1500Private investment Bank loanCommunity
Entrepreneur pays US$ 100/year as license fees Operational cost US$ 20 per month Recovery from user feesIncome > US$ 800/ year
Funding of Project
Network Cost US$ 55,000No burden on government Sources of project funding
Private investment Village CommitteeCommunity
Observations Role of kiosk manager
Familiarize users with the technology; Manage the kiosk; and Collect and send feedback from the user to the main office at the district level that develops the content of the system.
Empowerment with informationAccountability and transparency in governmentResistance overcome by people’s demand
Issues to be overcome
Low participation of women Low community involvement in content creation Need for multimedia contentHigh dependence on kiosk managers Increasing usage of systems
Number of usersNumber of uses
Village Knowledge Centres
Initiated by an NGO Initial 10 telecentres established with donations from private group in Japan and Motorola CorporationAdopted by Union Territory Government for replication in all villages in jurisdiction
Concept
Pro-poor, pro-women, pro-environmentCommunity ownership of technology Collective action Local knowledge with value addition by experts Demand-driven content 50% of population in this area poor (income < US$25/month)
Services
Agricultural inputs- and outputs-relatedMarket informationEntitlementsHealthcareLivestock careTransport informationWeather
Method
Information gathered by local people, mostly women and fed into the intranetValue addition to raw information by local volunteersContent in local language and multimediaAll volunteers are trainedActive participation of villagersCulture-specific aspects
Issues to be overcome
Financial sustainabilityIntroduction of user chargesIncreasing usage of systems
Number of usersNumber of uses
Connection to government machinery
Efficiency of Service Delivery and Accountability