[kictanet] Digital Villages

[Edith Adera]

Dr Ndemo,

It's good to learn of this new development and to know that things are
moving towards implementation. Kudos to the ICT Board!

May I ask whether there is any plan to share with stakeholders (and the
public) the DV Program implementation model that is envisaged for discussion
and feedback? Has there been some in-country background research to
determine the needs and potential areas for locating the DVs?

Having been funders of similar telecentres and community-owned networks for
the last decade across Africa, there are some hard lessons worth sharing
(some of which have already been  shared directly with the Board), but I
believe others have invaluable lessons and experiences to share.

An opportunity to publicly discuss the model will be useful.

Edith






-----Original Message-----
From: kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+eadera=idrc.or.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf
Of bitange at jambo.co.ke
Sent: 02 April 2008 21:07
To: eadera at idrc.or.ke
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: [kictanet] Digital Villages

Dear All,
In today's Daily Nation, the ICT Board advertised (p 18) for Digital
Village Entrepreneurs.  This is very significant in the sense that we are
now very close to involving our rural folks in creating wealth through ICT
enterprise.  In the past few months since the idea of DVs was mooted, we
have learnt a great deal and new rural technologies have emerged.  
Private sector is beginning to see opportunities in our rural areas. 
Similar programs elsewhere have often been taken up by the private sector
and escalated Broadband penetration.

In Slovakia for example Government direct subsidies to rural areas has
helped the country achieve the greatest broadband density in Europe.  The
subsidy drove demand for broadband beyond any estimates.  In Chile direct
subsidy, intense government local content coupled with tax incentives for
rural infrastructure helped the country take broadband to the even
sparsely populated Tundra regions of the Andes.  Farmers in the region
have as much as 11 MB broadband to homes.  Operators are happy and
productively utilizing rural Base Stations without additional subsidies.

Although in our case we have managed some sort of subsidy, we need more
especially tax incentives on rural infrastructure.  With incentives, it
will be attractive for operators to take up rural connectivity on
commercial basis.  We shall be through with the supply side of ICTs when
the undersea, the terrestrial fibre, data centers, disaster recovery
centers and network operation centers are ready in the next few months. 
Some of these projects are being undertaken by the private sector and
where necessary the Government may intervene marginally.

The challenge now lies on the Demand side.  The risk is that operators may
concentrate to provide for the bent up demand in urban areas forgetting
rural areas.  Yet Mpesa shows us that the money is in rural areas.  The
purpose of this e-mail therefore, is to seek for your support in
identifying youth from your rural areas (that is if you come from a
village like me) and recommend them to Victor at the ICT Board.  I know
there are other private initiatives outside of operators intending to
support the DV project but we are still grabbling with how this can be
distinctively done without causing confusion.  Knowing that we have a
great resource in you (Kictanet) I am confident that your contribution
would enhance the efforts to scale up ICTs in our country.

Asante.


Bitange Ndemo.



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