Close
encounters with the IT kind
Information
and Communication Technology when synergised with traditional wisdom
and grassroot realities could induce societal transformation, says
Dr PL Gautam and Dr SP Gupta
India
has a rich knowledge base and an in-built mechanism to preserve and
protect its traditional wisdom. Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) in the present context will provide India a significant advantage
to induce societal transformation, economic development as well as
strengthening of the knowledge base through reaching the vast untouched
masses. This ICT revolution has changed the world scenario at a very
fast rate of growth. Now, it is at our doors to prevent the developing
countries from establishing any kind of monopolies of unequal distribution
of scientific knowledge and opportunities.
WHAT
IS AN ICT?
People,
organisations, assets and ideas are interconnected with ICTs that
shatter the geographical boundaries by developing a virtual work place.
Here, it’s appropriate to mention about Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala and
his team at (Indian Institute of Technology) IIT, Madras who earmarked
that about 30 million Indians are wired at present with an approximate
investment of $800-1000 per connectivity.
But
if the cost of the last mile could be brought down to $200 or less,
and if the quality and bandwidth for connectivity could be improved,
then connection – telephonic and/or Internet – would be within the
reach of 200 million Indians, and perhaps a billion citizens in other
developing nations.
What
Professor Jhunjhunwala and his group have began to demonstrate, using
highly sophisticated indigenous technologies, is that it is possible
to bring the cost of connectivity far down toward $200 per line and,
in certain urban situations, to even less than $100 per line.
If
widely adopted, these results could revolutionise access to telephone,
email, and Internet in every urban and rural community in India and
the world. Similarly, innovations like the Simputer, devised by Professor
Vijay Chandru at (Indian Institute of Science) IIS, Banglore is there
to care about the need of low-cost computers at the village level.
POTENTIAL
OF ICTS
In the context of rural and agricultural development in India, the
potential of ICT could be harnessed for bringing a large number of
basic services to villagers, empowering the rural population, educating
farming communities on pressing issues, managing resources in the
village, imparting distance education, and practicing e-governance.
Since
India is an agrarian country where about 70 per cent of the population
resides in rural area and about 85 per cent of the people are directly
or indirectly associated with this sector, there is immense scope
of exploiting the potential of ICT for agricultural development. Ecommerce
can be effectively used for linking the local commercial and production
activities with the world market. IT will enhance the interaction
among the researchers, extension workers and farmers.
The
database of local resources of village can be prepared with ICTs for
future reference. Providing tele-education to farmers is another area
where IT can be used effectively (Chattopadhyay, 2003). A network
can be established connecting agricultural departments, State Agricultural
Universities, ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) institutes,
scientists and farmers. This IT -based networking system will therefore
facilitate quick communication.
GLOBAL
MODELS
There
are several international experiences that India could learn from.
The international fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is supporting
an Internet-based system in Latin America and the Caribbean-Fidamerica.
The system has used ICTs to assist the rural communities to access
the agricultural market and technical information and to improve access
to financial system.
It
offers facilities for knowledge and information exchange through electronics
conferencing, e-mail database and website. FAO has recently prepared
a proposal for a National Agricultural and Rural Knowledge and Information
System (Natkis) and network for Uganda to increase farmer’s access
to information, knowledge and technology through an effective, efficient,
sustainable and decentralised extension by increasing the private
sector involvement with government policies.
The
programme to be implemented includes the building and management of
an agricultural web portal, packaging of multimedia publications,
rural networking and ICT deployment and support services. FAO’s Research,
Extension and Training Division and the World Agricultural Information
Centre recently developed a prototype network – the Virtual Extension
Research Communication Network concept that aims at improving linkages
between agricultural research and extension institutions.
The
Internet allows network members to capture and develop local content,
share, store, retrieve and disseminate information and connect geographically
dispersed people from research and extension institutions, NGO workers
and agricultural producers.
The
Farmers’ Information & Technology Service (Fits) is a web-based information
service initiative in the Philippines. Fits aims to contribute to
the empowerment of farmers, processors, entrepreneurs and traders
and provide information and technology services that facilitate decisionmaking
by the rural community. The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement has established
village councils in 15,000 villages in Sri Lanka, with the participation
of women and children. These councils have organised the construction
of schools and clinics, village banks, roads and local renewable power
systems.
LATEST
TRENDS IN ICTS
In
areas with normal telephone service and electric power, any desktop
computer is usable. In areas without reliable power or phone service,
the best choice is a handheld or tablet computer with ....
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