ICTs are catalysts for economic growth of nations

DEVELOPMEMNT of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been hailed as an important tool that accelerate development in developing countries. Stiff competition and technological advances have led to a fall in the cost of ICT products and services thus it has provided and contributed immensely to the global economy. According to the Managing Director of Tanzania Defense of Human Rights and Citizen’s Rights protections, loosening of trade restrictions has encouraged the growth and expansion of ICT and hence revolutionized the sector. Investments ion ICT have grown substantially in both developed and developing countries has been high since 2005/2009 and users have increased its operations day by day. There is a general agreement that increased ICT production and usage has contributed a lot to the economic growth of the country. ICT comprises the manufacturing and service industries that capture, transmit and display date and information electronically. Manufactured products include office, accounting and computing machinery, insulated wires and cable electronic valves and tubes and other electronic components. Service industries as part of ICT includes wholesaling of computers, computer peripherals equipment and software. Whole selling of electronic and Tele-communication parts and equipment renting of office machinery and equipment. According to an IT specialist, increased production of ICTs has contributed to higher output, created employment opportunities. According to him, ICT has the potential of making the government and other organizations more efficient, more inclined to share information, more transparent and accountable. The government can also use ICT in isolated rural communities with urban centers as well as offer the poor economic opportunities. Although the developing countries currently lag behind developed countries in adopting ICT, low opportunity costs for switching from old to new ICT technology may enable developing countries to learn from the experiences of the advanced economies and facilitate the adoption of modern technologies. The internet for instance cannot work without the application of computer and other data communication access. There are possible network effects in the application of ICT at least in some areas which may create an effective barrier to the spread of ICT.

A recently constructed National University of Dodoma in Tanzania. ICT training at the University main campus is part of the course programe to be conducted at the University

The requirement of technology adoption in terms of human capital also vary across the technology which allows relatively easy leap frogging as effective use of certain software application require higher levels of human capital. Professor Hamza Iddi Pazi of the University of Dodoma says that, ICT revolution is skilled biased and increases demand for the high skilled workers as compared to relatively to low skilled workers creating a significant disparity in wages as is the case in Tanzania. For instance in Northern Ghana, local trained in computer skills and management can earn up to US$ 6,000 per year while the average gross national product (GNP) per capita in Ghana is US$ 390. In developing countries, the majority of ICT users are from the most educated sectors of the population. This means that they reap the benefit and economic opportunity while the uneducated are excluded. For example in Tanzania, a high percentage of internet users have computer knowledge and skills. However, the skills required for using ICT are gradually diminishing as more people become familiar with them. For example, in science sectors using computers often involves simple and repetitive tasks that are easy to learn

Mobile phone banking becomes of age

TRANSFEREING money using the services of cell-phone network operators is increasingly becoming a common phenomenon among the more than 14 million Tanzanians who currently have access to mobile telephony Tanzania is home to a doxen mobile telephone service providers, three of whom are already providing money transfer service as a matter of routine. These are with the call signs shown in brackets, Vodacom (M-Pesa), Zantel (Z-Pesa), and Zain (Zap). Also loosely known as mobile banking, money transfer service through cellular telephony is made possible through State-of-the Art- technologies which are part of the disposal of the respective company’s subscribers. Cellular money transfer were pioneered in East Africa by the Kenya based Safaricom company in 2007, coining the code M-Pesa for the service. That code was later adopted by Vodacom Tanzania Limited. Zantel launched its Z-Pesa service in Tanzania in late 2007, while later-comer Zain came out with its Zap in June 20-09. The system is among the easiest ways of sending money within the country whether one has a bank or not. One can pay for goods and services purchased by one using the system. If nothing else, this is one more step in co signing to the dustbin of history the need for one to carry huge sums of money around and about. Questions have been raised in certain quarters whether or not the mobile banking services now provided by the cellular phone providers do not impinge upon services that have traditionally been provided by the banks on main street.

Mobile phones have provided an easy way to send money to the people in rural areas, this innovative technology has relieved many local people in remote areas from walking a far distance to towns in order to get their cash sent by their relatives.

This is especially considering that subscribers who wish to access the services must first and foremost open an account with their respective network provider, Vodacom, Zantel, and Zain in the case of Tanzania. Dopes not that make the cellular firms virtual bankers one might very well ask according to the Bank of Tanzania (BOT). In any case mobile banking has come as a saviour to residents in rural areas in the country who do not have direct access to the banks. A subscriber who opens the requisite account can send up to Tshs. 500,000/- within the country in a single transaction at least for M-Pesa clients. But costs of the services differ among the service provided and in relation to transaction values. For example, Zain’s Zap service charges Tshs. 1,000/- when one sends between Tshs. 29,000/- and Tshs. 100,000/- in a single transaction. The more mponey pone sends the higher the charges Vodacom charges Tshs. 600/- for a single M-Pesa transaction whose value ranges between Tshs. 20,000/- and Tshs. 50,000/- call for higher charges. However, Vodacom, does not charge when one pays for a service like buying a LUKU prepaid electricity units. For its Z-Pesa services Zantel has put in place graduated charges. The charges vary according to the amount one sends for instance, as well as the network used. For instance, it costs Tsh. 225/- to send a sum between Tshs. 10,000/- and Tshs. 19,999 on its network and Tshs. 720/- if using a different cellular network. Currently Zantel (Z-Pesa) has over 1,100 customers on its books. The other two service providers, Vodacom (M-Pesa) and Zain (Zap) were unable, unwilling or not ready to divulge the number of other mobile banking account holders. Apart from money transfer through cellular network service providers, some bus companies are also playing a considerable role in transferring money across the land. However, this type of service is yet to be formally recognized by BOT. In nay case the bank says it plans to study the system in 2009/10 financial year so as to decide whether to endorse it in the country or not.

Bringing ICT tarinings for rural African community development

MUCH has been done by the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in societies and internet has played a crucial role in bridging the knowledge gap between societies. Notwithstanding issues of access for the internet to truly be a tool for knowledge building. It will need further adaptation in order to meet the need of the so-called the information poor.In order to build a sustainable and inclusive information society in Africa, ICT innovations and research are of particular importance as they could have revolutionary impact on currently under serviced and marginalized groups. The basic role of African media is to report on these innovations and research activities and disseminate the results so as to create awareness and stimulate debate on their impact on societal development. Despite current developments with increased coverage in urban areas and along several main highways in most countries in Sub-Saharan regions, still the majority of its people in rural areas will for the foreseeable future be without reachable and reliable ICT connections and services. There is conception that the risk of establishing viable ICTs such as mobile telecommunication in rural areas in Africa is too high. But despite of this, the point to be noted is that ICT can play a pivotal role in reducing the state of poverty of the marginalized groups in rural communities. To achieve reliable communication networks, some people have regularly or often preferred mobile phones even in areas where there is no connection. Lack of means of communication in rural communities results in several major setbacks if there is no coordination between middlemen and farmers who solely depend on information for price setups or properly organized marketing systems. It is important to realize that, the internet represents an instant economic device of knowing what the market price for commodities such as cash crops is for businessmen and women in various corners of the world. But since it is so expensive for rural areas, its accessibility is also low. Despite the fact that, the internet is used as a means of delivering agricultural information to farmers in rural communities, but there is increasing evidence that the technology is still beyond the reach of many farmers.

Students in class for ICT training.

Studies shows that, rural farmers do not have direct access to the internet in rural areas pending on a number of factors. The basic ones being the increased computer illiteracy among users and an unreliable infrastructure such as electricity. In view of these two common actors, it’s therefore the government’s responsibilities to remove barriers of information access to ensure that special attention is given to the rural people where agriculture is still their main economic activity. It is also worth noting that the communication environment means more than just telephones. Without basic infrastructure such as readily available power, roads and transport phones are hardly likely to bring down the expected benefits. Out of the available ICTs which are usable as new media facilities, the application of mobile telephony is able to improve and enhance communications for the rural people in Africa. This can support participatory development as well as allow the voices of the people to be heard through a range of options that can be operated individually or within small networks not requiring elaborate infrastructure. The development of rural telephony is an important issue not only for big investors but also for farmers and fishermen because communication is central to development. But in order to achieve this, stable energy is needed to support the operation of mobile towers. Tanzanian government has underscored the need for making ICTs that is gender sensitive and more accessible to the common people throughout Africa. According to the Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children Mrs. Margreth Sitta, in order for ICT to foster the attainment of the development goals, they must be employed effectively and relevantly. Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) has made great strides in upgrading rural communities by helping the establishments of rural ICT projects in the country. The main objective of these projects is to utilize ICTs for enhancing local good governance and indirectly catalyzing community development. To mention a few, Lunga-Lugoba is one of the villages in the country identified by the COSTECH as the site of a pilot project which seeks to introduce ICTs at the grassroots in the country. The village is situated by the roadside some 120 Kms away from the Dar es Salaam commercial city of Tanzania and has the basic power and telecommunication infrastructure for ICT application. The ICT services provided at the Lunga-Lugoda village includes, emails, internet surfing, ICT training, secretarial services, and local database creation for health and educational purposes. For minimal cost to villagers, they can now utilize the internet for communication purposes and access to knowledge. The idea is to make this as a model and once is successful, similar Tele-centers will be established to minimize the gap between rural and urban on the use of ICT facilities. Ultimately projects like these ones contribute to the overall social-economic development and poverty alleviation initiatives in Tanzania.

Community radios are the furthest ICTs for rural people

LOCAL Scientists believe that local communications can boost development and democracy in rural areas by using community radios. Their transmission enables isolated communities across Africa to voice their own concerns and explore ways to improve education, share farming tips and income generation ideas. Through community radio stations, the vast majority of the marginalized African group listeners in remote rural areas can hear news, practical information and the views of their neighbors. But despite of a multitude of new information outlets, millions of Africans especially in rural areas remain voiceless. Most media remain largely state controlled. But the tide of democracy sweeping the continent has seen governments loosening their grip on the airwaves. While radios are best form of communication and the furthest reaching ICT in rural African communities, some cannot operate properly because of lack of finances. But the majority of the people can afford and do not need to be illiterate. The device enables the poor in most African rural communities to solve their isolation as they do not have any other cheap and reliable access to information apart from other communication channels such as the internet, telephones and televisions which need stable infrastructure. Since the emergence of community radios in Africa which came into being as early as in 1990s, few challenges have dogged them as constantly as the one of sustainability, and in most cases their operations have been intervened by governments.

Radios are the furthest ICT tools which reaches a great number of peole in rural areas. Here broadcasters at work in a radio studio.

Traditionally, radios have changed the lives of the rural communities as people listens extensively and put announcements on the air to tell relatives about important social events, and other forms of traditional entertainments. Community radios might have engaged in income generating activities such as small scale farming, market gardening or chicken rearing. Radio projects bring opportunities for community members to learn new skills, thus improving prospects for employment at commercial stations. In 1985, statistics made available by the World Association of Community Broadcasters (AMARC) by its French initials, showed that, there were fewer than 10 independent radio stations on the entire African continent. But today, South Africa alone has more than 150 community radio stations, and other countries are catching up. But despite of the proliferation, Tanzania has none, this is because of the fact that, the government is not yet in a position to allow them as almost 99 percent of the country’s population are unified in one Kiswahili national language. Mali the second from South Africa, has one of the strongest community radio networks in Africa, and it has more than 110 private radio stations, 86 of them are community radios mostly rurally based. This is contrary to Tanzania whereby the state has registered over 40 radio stations to operate in the country in the last 10 years. Unfortunately, out of these there is no a community based radio station.
This is for reasons basically known as related to the strengthening of national solidarity. Before that, only one radio station was workable since independence in 1961. This is a state owned radio, known as “Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam”. Moreover, community radios are especially important in countries with high illiteracy rates and where many rural people speak primarily local, indigenous languages. Statistics issued by a registering body, Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) as up to December 2005, shows that out of 35 registered radio stations, among them are privately owned and there are those owned by the religious institutions. The idea of accelerating development by using both older media such the radio and newer information and communication technologies such as the internet and mobile phones has gained momentum in Africa over the past decade. Broadcasting services can foster regional trade and improve integration into the global economy. The ability of ordinary people to communicate each other also helps promote democracy and good governance. The cost of setting up communications infrastructure is steep, however, especially in rural areas where distances are vast and population densities are low. Radios by contrast are inexpensive and can run on batteries or solar power, and by far is the dominant mass medium in most rural communities in Africa. Studies shows that, there is one radio receiver for every five people compared with one telephone receiver for every 100 people, and the content of radio programs is also cheap to create and cheap to consume, says Mrs. Grace Githaiga, the Executive Director of Eco-News Africa.

How partnerships can help ward off the digital divide in Africa

THE Digital Divide is defined as a gap between people who can effectively use new information and communication tools such as internet, mobile phones etc and those who cannot mostly probably due to ignorance or poverty. This gap has increasingly rendered human capacity into ineffective in terms of providing services and information giving to the community. But with the use of partnerships these can help clear the digital problem in a society. African continent is still lagging behind in the information technologies and their applications in the world, and the reason for this is increasingly because of the digital divide. Most African nations fails to coordinate their sector development activities basically due to lack of knowledge and unreliable access to the available Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools. Statistics shows that about 80 percent of the African rural communities living in Sub-Saharan region are faced with extreme poverty and as a result, people’s social and economic development has been deteriorating continuously year after the year due to financial capability. Indeed the lack of communication skills and insufficiency use of modern communication tools has become a stumbling block of mankind development an aspect which slows down the pace of globalization in Africa. Some development analysts see the issue of the digital divide as a cause of poverty and underdevelopment. They believe that as the global economy becomes more and more dependent on ICT, people who are not able to use the technologies will be increasingly excluded. Others point out that the digital divide is now part of an overall development divide and therefore opportunities for increasing communication channels should be seen as a core activity of development.

Foreigners in one of the local internet cafe, partnerships can help bridghe the digital divide in Africa.

In a bid to find solutions to local communities for ICT access problems, leaders and financial donors always collaborate mainly with the rural populations where the situation is worse, and the civil society to take stock of the reality of the situation and avoid proposing not only inappropriate, but unacceptable socio-cultural solutions. Everyone, especially the rural populations acknowledges that modern ICTs are wonderful tools for development and efficient management which however ensures a conducive working environment. In order to embrace ICTs as key elements towards improving productivity and modern communication mechanisms, the rural area needs at least basic economic and social infrastructures such as roads, water, food, electricity, literacy (education) etc. These incentives cannot be attained unless government have to set a special fund in their national budgets to run the projects. But it’s unfortunate that, most African governments depends on the donor funding to ease their development processes, hence the idea of such prospective projects ends up in vain if sufficient money is not available for the intended purposes. But through partnerships people are brought together to share a common interest that consumes valuable resources as well as time, and efforts that might not be available in a single organization or institution to end the digital problem. Partnerships can be described as a mutual, supportive arrangement between organizations, agencies, businesses, and/or communities with the purpose of addressing a problematic situation.

A Maasai moran communicating by using a mobile phone. Through partnership, Africa can ward off the existing digital divide in rural communities.

In this spirit, individuals, businesses, organizations, institutions, communities, and governing bodies need to collectively unite the creative minds and develop ideas that will address the issue to end the multifaceted problem of the Digital Divide. This is the power of partnerships whose key is to involve people that have expertise and interest in these areas with the purpose of acquiring a complete picture of the variables involved and finding solutions to the problems identified. This can be done by advocacy through various IT organizations, educators, social service providers, research institutions and government officials. These groups need to work collectively on the issue and disseminate the group activities and findings. The Digital Divide is an enormous dilemma for all people, not just people with disabilities. By demonstrating that partnerships are a successful and effective tool in addressing the variables involved in the Digital Divide, it will be easier to get others to support and participate in these efforts. According to one researcher, Dr. Taylor Kearns of the US based International Center for Disability Resources for Internet (ICDRI), partnerships are tools that can help address issues in all their complexity, identify options, and deliver resources more powerfully and effectively than any one organization or business can possibly do. However, in order for partnerships to work, they need to be organized, implemented, and evaluated successfully. Those involved in partnerships need to have a vested interest in the success of the partnership. The digital gap is the least of concerns of the rural world as it is plagued by internal social problems which are common to several African countries. At national level, there is great need to curb the extreme disparities between towns and countryside at different areas such as health, education and training, drinking water, transportation, etc. The important issue here is how ICTs can solve numerous social, economic, agricultural and digital problems currently afflicting the global village, continents and governments as well.

ICT training is vital for people gain knoiwledge to ward off the digital divide in Africa.

Over the past eight years or so there have been several projects in Africa that have brought Information and Communication Technologies to rural and other disadvantaged communities. Some of these have worked well, many others have had problems related to technical, managerial, social or financial aspects. In Tanzania for examples, there are about 20 most famous Tele-centers which are donor-funded such as the ones established by ITU- UNESCO-IDRC. These have shown that some ICTs are welcomed and used when established in rural areas of Africa. These offer some useful services, though are often very expensive to use. The centers are financially sustainable though their link to wider development is questionable. In several countries there are ICT projects attached to specific government project where the technology supports an existing service. The largest of these are the many school ICT projects (Schoolnet Africa works in over 20 African countries). There are other examples of ICT being used in health clinics to support Tele-health and Tele-medicine, of ICTs in agricultural extension projects and in Small-business support. The IT training in most parts of Africa is still inadequately financed despite being the important sector which helps to speed up globalization processes and the disadvantaged areas in Africa face great challenges. This is due to the fact that, in many areas there is great poverty - with many countries facing famine. Infrastructure is lacking in many areas, and few people have the formal skills in ICT. However, the difficulty of running ICT projects in remote areas has led to the failure or difficulties with many projects. Lack of technical skills, spare parts, finances and other issues compound the difficulty for many of these centres. There are also a number of smaller community based ICT projects, with the equipment being used by a community organization or NGO to support their services, as with community radio or other local development projects. In rural Tanzania, the IT sector through the program formed two years ago known as Lang Management Program (LAMP), has introduced internet facilities to a number of districts in the country in a bid to bridge the digital divide. The program that is conducted under the auspices of the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), aims at helping the poor get more access to the ICTs in the country. According to COSTECH’s project coordinator Mr. Theophillus Mlaki, who is also the Director of Information and Documentation, the ICT project would create a lot of benefits to farmers and livestock keepers.

Tanzania government starts radio program to help farmers access markets

TANZANIA government in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organization called the Rural Livelihoods Development Company (RLDC) has established radio program aimed at improving farmers’ income and increasing marketing awareness among farmers in the country. According to RLDC’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Charles Ogutu, the move is meant to equip farmers in all corners of the country with information related to markets. In most cases, farmers do not have enough information about markets, this was after an in-depth study was done, therefore in view of this, the company in collaboration with the government has resolved to support them especially those in central corridor by way of providing trainings through radio programs.
The weekly programs have already been started and are aired on Radio Free Africa with its stations based in Mwanza city in northern Tanzania. According to him, various studies have proved that radio programs was the best and most affordable means to communicate with farmers in remote areas. The aims of the programs, however would encourage rural farmers to actively engaged in productive agricultural activities because currently farmers in the country are wasting a lot of energy in sectors in sectors which are productive enough to support their families. The program would promote them by voicing out their experiences or problems and in this way, the government and other development partners would be able to intervene. RLDC is jointly supported by the Swiss and Tanzania governments and it’s currently working in six regions of Manyara, Tabora, Dodoma, Morogoro, Singida and Shinyanga.

MY FATHER MR. NABOTH ONYANGO PAULO IS NO MORE.

WITH sad news, I would like to inform dear readers of my blog that my dear father Mr. Naboth Onyango Paulo has passed away. He died at home in Gamasara village, Tarime district in Mara region in the morning of 3rd September 2009 at around 07:30 am. My father had long been suffering from a number of diseases including kidney complications and heart attack which had shortly developed recently as a result of being bed-ridden for a long time ever since he overturned with his motor-bike he was riding in August 1984, about 25 years. Until his death, he couldn’t be able to move from one place to another because his both legs were paralyzed as though he was suffering from poliomyelitis disease. He has suffered under that condition despite of various efforts made to make him cure.

The inside of the newly built mortuary at Tarime district hospital

You might think he is asleep, he is dead and some villagers volunteered to put on a dress on him before he was inserted into a coffin. This was inside the mortuary.