What can Information Technology do for Development?
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Information technology has the unique characteristic of being able to reach remote corners where other technology might not have reached. Many of these remote places, such as villages in developing countries of Africa might be quite undeveloped. Even such places can have the convenience of mobile telephony by setting up a few towers for wireless communication.
And countries like India have succeeded in bringing down the costs of cell phones and call charges to an extent that most people even in villages can afford it.
The issue is how to tap this phenomenon to bring development to the undeveloped areas. It should theoretically be possible to deliver education, healthcare, information and government services to every remote corner through wireless communications, supplemented with a minimum of local infrastructure.
For example, a recent news report from Bangladesh speaks of connecting all the 4501 unions – the lowest tier of local government – are now linked to the internet. The Union Information Centres will provide all government forms, public notifications and gazettes, birth and death registration information, passport and visa support, information on public examinations, new jobs, laws, health and agricultural, and disaster management among others.
Read the Coimbra Soft blog on using infotech for development in Africa.
Tags: economic development, information technology
Posted in e-governance, education delivery, healthcare, information delivery, information technology | No Comments »
Does Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Developments Contribute to Economic Progress?
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
A World Bank report has sought to analyze the impact of high speed Internet access on economic development in developing countries. The study found that ICT allows economies “to acquire and share ideas, expertise, services and technologies locally, regionally, and across the world.” ICT also contributes to integrating global economy.
Broadband accelerates knowledge transfer and technological diffusion and enhances the competitive advantages of fast-learning economies. Mobile phones based on wireless technology connect remote rural areas with the rest of the country. Their low costs make them affordable even for poorer sections of the community.
The increased connectivity enables not only sharing of information but also leads to increased economic activity. If people could conclude economic transactions with a phone call, instead of traveling long distances, economic activity becomes much easier and more frequent. It also becomes possible to deliver healthcare, education and other facilities to remote areas.
Rural business also benefits from the increased connectivity. Trading platforms such as Tradenet in Ghana enable rural farmers to sign up for SMS alerts for offers to buy or sell, connecting remote buyers and sellers. Information about up-to-date prices can also be obtained across all the markets covered.
Read the numerous other examples of how increased connectivity has benefited developing economies in the Information and Communication for Development (ICAD) report for 2009. The full report is available for purchase at World Bank Publications website.
Tags: economic development, information technology, rural economy, wireless communication
Posted in broadband network, communications, information delivery, information technology | 1 Comment »
Knowledge Society and Nanotechnology
Saturday, July 17th, 2010
Knowledge society is a society where the primary production resource is knowledge, rather than capital, labor or even raw materials. In such societies, accumulated and newly discovered knowledge will be the dominant element supporting not only economic but also social and cultural activities. If one looks around modern societies, one can observe the huge volume of knowledge that underlies almost everything we do, including how we think.
Knowledge supporting community activity is not something new. Even ancient tribes observed, acquired and passed on knowledge about weather patterns and about the best practices for obtaining desired results. Activities like agriculture and fishing benefited from such knowledge. What is different in modern times is the huge volume of knowledge, the ease of sharing it globally and the elimination of the need for geographical proximity for knowledge societies to arise.
As against physical meeting places and bulletin boards, it is Web portals, chat rooms, video conferences and other information distribution and collaboration environments that dominate the modern scenario.
Validating the results of scientific research through economic achievements that benefit members of the society has become a major topic of study.
Nanotechnology is a field in which many countries, including developing countries, have invested heavily. It is a field with many promises, and also many unknown risks. It is in such a context that many conferences and movements are focusing on nanotechnology.
The article on Nanotechnology for a Knowledge Society in Emerging Economies and Developing Countries discusses this concern.
Tags: economic development, nanotechnology
Posted in nanotechnology | No Comments »
