Mobile phone killed the laptop star? Roxanna Samii International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) WCCA/IAALD/AFITA joint conference 24-27 August 2008

ICT4D mantra FOCUS on PEOPLE, not technology Ensure ownership and appropriation Develop local content Ensure language and cultural pertinence Ensure participation

FOCUS on PEOPLE, not technology

Ensure ownership and appropriation

Develop local content

Ensure language and cultural pertinence

Ensure participation

What type of ICTs can be at the service of small-scale farmers? Affordable Scalable Self-sustaining Sensible Participatory Appropriate The availability and use of ICT is no longer optional A. Sen

Affordable

Scalable

Self-sustaining

Sensible

Participatory

Appropriate

Mobile telephony: the panacea? 3.3 billion mobile subscribers globally * Integrated platform offering, content and telecom services 280.7 million mobile phone subscribers in Africa Pre-paid subscriptions account for nearly 95% of total mobile subscriptions in Africa High penetration rate make it “universal service” * Wikipedia estimates as of 30/11/07

3.3 billion mobile subscribers globally *

Integrated platform offering, content and telecom services

280.7 million mobile phone subscribers in Africa

Pre-paid subscriptions account for nearly 95% of total mobile subscriptions in Africa

High penetration rate make it “universal service”

Mobile phone: Catalyst for social inclusion Point of contact Predominant mode of communication Reduces the digital divide Accessible technology for previously marginalized groups Relatively affordable and easy to use Brings families together Provide medical services to remote villages and monitor patients Social networking and knowledge transfer tool

Point of contact

Predominant mode of communication

Reduces the digital divide

Accessible technology for previously marginalized groups

Relatively affordable and easy to use

Brings families together

Provide medical services to remote villages and monitor patients

Social networking and knowledge transfer tool

Mobile phone: Catalyst for economic growth Small businesses participate in the economic system Access to price information Communication with buyers New and innovative businesses Increased job opportunity Annual increase of 0.6% in GDP growth Minimize travel cost “ When you get a mobile phone it is almost like having a card to get out of poverty in a couple of years” Muhammad Yunus

Small businesses participate in the economic system

Access to price information

Communication with buyers

New and innovative businesses

Increased job opportunity

Annual increase of 0.6% in GDP growth

Minimize travel cost

Mobile phones enhancing rural connectivity: Some examples Fishers in Mauritius Weather reports Inform “buyant” or middleman of their catch Get price Small-scale farmers in Mozambique Market analysis Inform buyer (supermarket) Get price Tradenet.biz Commodity price, harvest, transport, trading offers, disease outbreaks, weather and more SMS and internet

Fishers in Mauritius

Weather reports

Inform “buyant” or middleman of their catch

Get price

Small-scale farmers in Mozambique

Market analysis

Inform buyer (supermarket)

Get price

Tradenet.biz

Commodity price, harvest, transport, trading offers, disease outbreaks, weather and more

SMS and internet

Mobile telephony growth drivers Shorter payback period on investment Lower installation cost Subsidization of handsets Pre-paid offerings Continued liberalization of the telecom sector Low penetration rates Lower level of skill to use Positive social and economic impact

Shorter payback period on investment

Lower installation cost

Subsidization of handsets

Pre-paid offerings

Continued liberalization of the telecom sector

Low penetration rates

Lower level of skill to use

Positive social and economic impact

Mobile phone killed the laptop star? One billion people have access to internet 3.3 billion mobile subscribers globally Wifi technology: internet and mobile telephony happy marriage VoIP Wide range of services including agricultural extension services

One billion people have access to internet

3.3 billion mobile subscribers globally

Wifi technology: internet and mobile telephony happy marriage

VoIP

Wide range of services including agricultural extension services

US$100 laptop or $10 mobile phone: Which one will make it? Appropriate, affordable, scalable, self-sustaining and sensible technology Public-private partnership Universal and more equitable access Sustainable funding

Appropriate, affordable, scalable, self-sustaining and sensible technology

Public-private partnership

Universal and more equitable access

Sustainable funding

Question time When was the last time you talked to a farmer and asked him/her what type of ICT does he/she needs and what are his/her priorities in terms of ICTs? Can you share an example showing sustainable ICT for rural development projects, which goes beyond a pilot project? Why were these projects successful?

When was the last time you talked to a farmer and asked him/her what type of ICT does he/she needs and what are his/her priorities in terms of ICTs?

Can you share an example showing sustainable ICT for rural development projects, which goes beyond a pilot project?

Why were these projects successful?

ICT4D: Common pitfalls Lack of understanding and awareness of the needs and challenges of small-scale farmers Failure to use participatory approaches Lack of systematic inclusion of ICTs in national poverty reduction strategy Building the capacity of communities and local organizations to lead and own the process of appropriation Fragmented coordination among donors Convergence of old and new technology to create a three-tier system: public, commercial and community

Lack of understanding and awareness of the needs and challenges of small-scale farmers

Failure to use participatory approaches

Lack of systematic inclusion of ICTs in national poverty reduction strategy

Building the capacity of communities and local organizations to lead and own the process of appropriation

Fragmented coordination among donors

Convergence of old and new technology to create a three-tier system: public, commercial and community

Thank you www.ifad.org www.ruralpovertyportal.org

www.ifad.org

www.ruralpovertyportal.org