Mike Jensen of the Association for Progressive Communication (APC) presents during day one of the Forum on Communication for Development and Community Media for Family Farming at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy
Universal Access: Financial Mechanisms and Rural Infrastructure Policies
1. Universal Access: Financial Mechanisms
and Rural Infrastructure Policies
Mike Jensen
APC
Forum on Communication for Development and
Community Media for Family Farming (FCCM)
FAO - Sheikh Zayed Centre
Rome
October 23-24, 2014
2. What Are the Main Investments
Required for Rural Communication
Services?
National backbone networks – fibre rings for
redundancy
Last mile links – satellite, mobile and fixed wireless
Public access facilities
Local radio stations
End-user equipment
Content development
ICT literacy training
Electricity – national grid, micro-grids and in-premises
solar
3. Financial Mechanisms and
Funding Opportunities
National backbone networks – private, government,
PPP financing, can be development assistance, USFs
Last mile links – private operator revenue & investment
finance, communities and end-user funding, diaspora,
USFs
Public access facilities – national, state, local authorities
Local radio stations – communities, private sector,
USFs
End-user equipment – users, providers, govt backed
soft loans
Content development – private, government, users
ICT literacy training – users, government
Electricity – development finance, govt, end-users
4. Other Enabling Factors
More open markets will attract private investment
Better access to radio spectrum for WiFi, TVWS,
mobile, will reduce operating costs for providers and
increase the potential for local self-provisioning of
community networks
Ensuring passive infrastructure sharing (masts,
ducts in roads, along rail lines and on electricity
grids) will greatly reduce the cost of providing
services, thereby attracting more investment in rural
areas
Independent Power Producer Policies (IPPPs) and
feed-in tariffs will make renewable energy more
cost-effective
Lowering import duties on ICT equipment will cut
operator and end-user costs
5. How can farmers have a say?
Act together – form or join entities that speak for
farmers
Build wireless networks and community radio
stations, lobby operators (demonstrate market
demand)
Collaborate with other local civil society groups with
a common interest in better access – e.g Consumer
Groups, Women's organisations, Indigenous
groups, Co-ops
Participate in national and local policy processes –
e.g National Broadband Strategy development