Enhancing the livelihoods of the rural poor through ICT : a knowledge map

The knowledge map is designed to answer the following questions: how can the full ranges of information and communication technologies (ICTs), appropriately adapted, help improve the livelihoods of poor individuals, families and communities in rural areas and increase their income opportunities, thereby improving their chances of escaping from persistent poverty? What does the author know already, both from research and from experience in the field, and what do donor staff and their country counterparts most urgently need to know about these issues? How should author think about the role of ICT in enhancing the livelihoods of the rural poor? What elements most urgently require further research and analysis to lay the basis for informed policy and investment by donors, governments, and others? The map builds on the Information and Communications for Rural Livelihoods (ICD4RL) project which was completed a few years ago by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in cooperation with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank (WB). That work identified eight principles for successful ICD4RL: 1) adapting content to local context; 2) building on existing systems and working with existing policies; 3) addressing diversity; 4) building capacity; 5) ensuring equitable access and empowerment; 6) building partnership networks; 7) adopting realistic approaches to technology; and 8) information costs.