This lecture was about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for development, specifically with regards to Africa. It was interesting to learn more about Ethiopia, where UN ICT advisors are based.
Africa seems to be lagging in this area, yet there is a demand for the services that ICT can provide. People want to be connected. One great benefit could be in agriculture, by providing farmers with weather forecasts in remote locations. The idea of "leapfrogging" is interesting, i.e. by building mobile networks, a whole stage of industrial development (phone cable networks) is bypassed. Mobile phone manufacturers seem to be very interested in ICT development in Africa, as it's one of their last big new markets.
In the YouTube video "Africa Goes Digital," one lady claims that Africa missed out on the Agricultural and Industrial Revolution because it was colonized.
In the other YouTube video, the World Bank highlights the positive aspects of Rwanda's ICT development.
No comments:
Post a Comment