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The Significance of Information and Communication Technologies for Reducing Poverty

Phil Marker, Kerry McNamara, Lindsay Wallace

London: Department for International Development (DFID) (2002), 64 pp.

"This study sets out, for DFID staff, the fundamental principles underlying a proposed approach to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and development, and draws from those principles a set of recommendations for DFID's priorities in this area. For the purposes of this study, ICTs are ... more

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Closing the Gap in Access to Rural Communications: Chile 1995-2002

Bjorn Wellenius

Washington, DC: World Bank (2002), ix, 52 pp.

"In 1994 the government established a Telecommunications Development Fund, financed by the national budget, to catalyze additional private investment in payphone service in rural and urban areas with low income and low telephone density. The Fund has been very successful. Between 1995 and 2000 it su ... pported the provision of payphone service to more than 6,000 rural localities with about 2.2 million inhabitants, thereby reducing the proportion of Chile's population living in places without access to basic voice communication from 15 percent in 1994 to 1 percent in 2002. In addition, some 25,000 individual rural telephone lines are being provided. The subsidies awarded cost the government less than 0.3 percent of total telecommunications sector revenue during the funding period, and Fund administration cost about 3 percent of the monies granted. The Fund's success was due largely to extensive reliance on market forces to determine and allocate subsidies, minimal regulatory intervention, simple and relatively expeditious processing, and effective government leadership. Competition among existing and new operators for the rural market and subsidies led to substantial reductions in cost to the government compared to earlier public sector investments in similar facilities. Commercial success has hinged on operators using the subsidized payphone infrastructures to also provide individual business and residential telephone lines and, subsequently, add value through new services (including voice mail and internet access in some areas) over this network. Interconnection was the single most important regulatory factor of commercial viability, with access charges in some cases surpassing 40 percent of rural operating revenues. The design of the Fund proved robust, and remains the leading example of a costeffective slution to reduce access gaps in basic communication in emerging economies. Some questions remain, however, about whether the services can be sustained in the long term, what to do with the small residual rural population still excluded, and whether anything needs to be done in urban areas. These questions-in addition to limited design improvements suggested by the Fund's experience, as well as work still in progress on quality standards and monitoring-are relevant to the Fund's proposed extension into more advanced modes of communication and access to information, as well as to other countries learning from the Chilean experience." (Executive summary) more

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La tecnología de información y de comunicaciones (TIC) en Nicaragua

Johan Ernberg, Maria Edith Acre

Stockholm: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) (2002), 73 pp.

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Les technologies de l'information et de la communication et le developpement social au Senegal: Un etat des lieux

Olivier Sagna

Genève: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) (2001), xiii, 61 pp.

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Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano Ecuador 2001: Las tecnologías de información y comunicación para el desarrollo humano

Marco Antonio Rocca, Fernando Pachano (eds.)

Quito: Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) (2001), xxvi, 266 pp.

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WorldCat (126)

Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien in der österreichischen Entwicklungszusammenarbeit

Wien: Österreichische Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (2001), 72 pp.

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A Country ICT Survey for Mozambique: Final Report

Philip Esselaar, Olof Hesselmark, Tina James, Jonathan Miller

Stockholm: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) (2001), 76 pp.

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Information and Communication Technology, Poverty, and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

Miria Pigato

Washington, DC: World Bank (2001), 67 pp.

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Internet y sociedad en América Latina y el Caribe: Investigaciones para sustentar el diálogo

Marcelo Bonilla, Gilles Cliche (eds.)

Quito: FLACSO; International Development Research Centre (IDRC) (2001), 615 pp.

"La presente obra recoge trabajos pioneros de investigación que reflexionan, a partir de una perspectiva cualitativa y etnográfica, cómo las nuevas tecnologías de información y comunicación en su aplicación al sistema escolar y a iniciativas de gestión local reproducen las pedagogías tradic ... more

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Internet Access for All Programme

The Hague: HIVOS (2000), 22 pp.

"This paper isn’t a “traditional” policypaper, but a policy and action programme. It describes both the context and the general policy outline for Hivos (chapter 1-4) and concrete targets and strategies (chapter 5-7). These targets are formulated for four years; the year 2000 is a starting yea ... more

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Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT) in der deutschen Entwicklungszusammenarbeit

Bonn: Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ); Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) (2000), 17 pp.

"Die deutsche EZ betrachtet Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien als wirksame Instrumente in der Umsetzung der entwicklungspolitischen Leitlinien, der Sektor- und Länderkonzepte. IKT stellen keine autonomen Projektziele dar, sondern sind Mittel (Tools), diese zu erreichen. Die IKT-Dienstlei ... more

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WorldCat (143)

The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Economic Development: A Partial Survey

Arjun S. Bedi

Bonn: Center for Development Research (ZEF) (1999), 42 pp.

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Informations-und Kommunikationstechnologien in Entwicklungsländern: Trends und Potentiale

S. Seibel, D. Müller-Falcke, R. Bertolini

Bonn: Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung (ZEF) (1999), 48 pp.

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The Access and Welfare Impacts of Telecommunications Technology in Peru

Maximo Torero

Bonn; Lima: Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung (ZEF); GRADE (1999), 28 pp.

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WorldCat (154)

Internet y el desarrollo rural agrícola: Un enfoque integrado

Don Richardson

Rome: Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación (FAO) (1998), 79 pp.

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The First Mile of Connectivity: Advancing Telecommunications for Rural Development Through a Participatory Communication Approach

Don Richardson, Lynnita Paisley (eds.)

Rome: FAO (1998), xiii, 340 pp.

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WorldCat (209)

Knowledge Societies: Information Technology for Sustainable Development

Robin Mansell, Uta Wehn (eds.)

Oxford: Oxford University Press; United Nations Commission on Science and Technology Development (1998), vii, 323 pp.

"Revolutionary information and communication technologies are contributing to dramatic changes in the competitiveness of global and local markets and in the way people conduct their business and everyday lives. The potential benefits and risks these changes present for developing countries and trans ... more

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New Information and Communication Technologies, Social Development and Cultural Change

Cees J. Hamelink

Geneva: UNRISD (1997), 37 pp.

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Use of Information and Communication Technologies in IDRC Projects: Lessons Learned

Michael Graham

Ottawa: International Development Research Centre (IDRC) (1997), 78 pp.

"This evaluation examines the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in development by extracting lessons from previous IDRC project experiences, in order to provide input for the design and implementation of the Acacia program. Acacia explores the investment in, and application o ... f, ICTs by African communities to build local resources to solve development problems. The evaluation also tested the usefulness of the Lanfranco Framework for studying the value of ICTs in development research. ICTs were found to be valuable tools that can help people to gather and analyze information, store and manipulate data, and improve communication. ICTs improved the capability of individuals and institutions to tackle and solve development problems. National ICT policies and legislation, as well as the policies of donor agencies with respect to ICTs, were influenced by project activities, and consultations and lobbying efforts by Centre staff, efforts which were facilitated by email and internet access. Geographic information systems (GIS) projects demonstrated the potential of this technology to encourage planners and communities to take a more holistic view of development problems. Projects emphasized regional training and relied on local capabilities to establish and manage ICT systems. Programme support helped create an information culture and an environment in which people with similar interests could share ideas and were encouraged to form professional associations and informal networks. ICTs were most effective in overcoming barriers of distance and time, with electronic mail and associated list servers being used most often. GIS technologies helped overcome language barriers by presenting complex spatial relationships as more easily understandable maps. Several projects provided access to hardware and software that offered capabilities that were previously inaccessible. By providing improved access, enhanced sharing, and timely delivery of information, ICTs empowered people to take action. Projects were able to create a culture of communication and were most effective in this role when information was tailored to the needs of users. When jobs and economic activity were created, they were in most cases in the information and communication sector. Use of ICT is expanding in Africa. It is important that government policies and regulations with regard to telecommunications anticipate this coming tide and that development activities take advantage of opportunities presented by ICTs. These technologies can alter the perception of development problems, provide opportunities for improved communications, deliver information quickly and inexpensively over great distance, and offer the potential to enhance regional collaboration to address common problems. To realize these potentials, close collaboration with communities and appropriate packaging of information products will be crucial." (Review by IDRC Evaluation team, evaluation@idrc.ca; www.idrc.ca/evaluation, cited from the "Annotated Bibliography of Evaluations in Africa": http://www.geocities.com/afreval/documents/education.htm, 10.04.2007) more

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Telecommunications: A Swedish Contribution to Development. Evaluation of BITS' Support to Telecommunications Development

Lars Rylander, Ulf Lundin et al.

Stockholm: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) (1996), 37 pp.