Using ICTs for rural development: an overview

Abstract

World Development Report in 1998/99 states that ‘recognition of the importance of knowledge has gained momentum, and there is a renewed impetus to integrate knowledge into countries’ development strategies’. UNDP Human Development Report in 2001 highlighted the role of ICTs for development as a mean for bridging the knowledge gap and improving access to information among people. In this light, the adoption of ICTs in collective manner could serve as crucial tools for achieving development (i.e. part of development process) rather than just the final outcomes of it. So how ICTs could be integrated into rural development goals; to facilitate training and capacity building, to improve access to information and to alleviate poverty? The answers to these questions should begin with both decision-makers and societies acknowledgement of the important role of knowledge in development, followed by effective consideration to be taken in creating better access to and use of ICTs through policy planning, capacity building and appropriate physical infrastructure development. Future rural development strategies need to respond to changes and transformation in policy planning as well as in bridging knowledge gap and improving access to information. For this reason, this paper will review and discuss some of the potential roles of ICTs for rural development and livelihood strategies, and the integration of local community for promoting capacity building and for bridging knowledge gap.