Appropriate technology and information services in developing countries

1978 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Munn
1979 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 285-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjorn V. Tell

The developing countries arc emulating the industrialized countries when setting up information services to cater for their information needs. However, the traditional infrastruc ture of service organisations may not be the best model for supporting easy and speedy access to information. A different approach is argued, founded upon the enthusiasm with which many developing countries have taken to online systems when demonstrated there. A model for a ministerial information network is proposed as part of a "social intel ligence function" of the country. It is proposed that Unesco and UNIDO should set up regional "centres of excellence" according to this model for developing countries.


1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-124
Author(s):  
Tran Ngoc Ca

Radical progress in the economic and social framework of developing countries can be achieved through technology transfer. However, because many different barriers exist, in many cases technology transfer has not yet become very efficient. This article discusses some barriers to technology transfer as experienced by Vietnam and suggests ways to get appropriate technology through the transfer process.


Leonardo ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Verzola

The author provides examples of low-cost information and communications technologies (ICTs) and suggests five major strategies for their low-cost deployment in developing countries: (1) appropriate technology, (2) free/open software, (3) compulsory licensing, (4) pay-per-use public stations and (5) community/public ownership of ICT infrastructure. Aside from the problems of affordability and universal access, the author identifies the Internet's built-in biases for (1) English, (2) subsidizing globalization, (3) automation and (4) the technofix, and explores the implications of these biases. The challenge is not only to design affordable and accessible technologies or to redesign technologies to be consistent with our deeply held values, but also to make ourselves less technology dependent.


Author(s):  
Julius Juma Okello

The need to provide agricultural information to farmers has led to emergence of numerous electronic-based MIS projects in developing countries. These projects aim at promoting farmer linkage to better markets. However, experiences from past and present projects show mix cases of success and failure, despite some projects meeting their goals. This study examines how the environments in which such ICT-based MIS are deployed affect their performance. It specifically uses two ICT-based market information service projects, the DrumNet and Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE) projects, to assess how the socio-economic, physical, and institutional environments in such projects are deployed affect the performance of such projects. The study finds that a number of environmental factors related to socio-economic, physical, market, and legal environment affect the performance of ICT-based projects. Some of these factors exacerbate transactions costs thus undermining the performance and even sustainability of ICT-based MIS projects. It discusses policy implications of these findings.


Author(s):  
Jacob Z. Morris ◽  
Ken D. Thomas

Access to clean water for drinking and sanitation is an urgent issue that the world is facing. According to the United Nations (UN), approximately one billion people live in extreme poverty, and almost 2.6 billion people live without the basics of adequate sanitation. Over the past two decades, the BioSand Filter has proven to be an effective and efficient point-of-use device to purify water to a potable level in developing countries. The success of this device is due to its simplicity, use of appropriate technology, and sustainability. This chapter discusses a case study of His Hands Mission International’s work installing these filters in the villages of rural Honduras. It focuses on the implementation, adoption, diffusion, and impacts of these filters, providing insight to the system’s factors of success. These factors provide information that can be utilized to improve the chances for success of similar system implementations around the world.


Author(s):  
Jerome Idiegbeyan-Ose ◽  
Goodluck Ifijeh ◽  
Julie E. Ilogho ◽  
Juliana Iwu-James ◽  
Roland Izuagbe

This chapter discusses the concept disaster in libraries in developing countries and the need for digital preservation of library resources. It started with the definition of disaster as an event that produces casualties. It also highlighted the types, causes and effects of disasters in libraries. The chapter further discusses the concept of digital preservation of library materials as a viable option for disaster management. It also enumerated and discussed the various methods of digital preservation of library resources. The chapter also explains X-ray, the concept of libraries in developing countries and disaster preservation; it also discusses various challenges that developing countries face in terms of digital preservation of resources. Based on these discussions, the chapter concludes and makes recommendations so as to improve the level of library and information services as well as disaster preparedness in developing countries.


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