Technology and development : Laurent Elder - CRDI | KWS Forum

ICTs and ICTs and DevelopmentDevelopment

Laurent ElderLaurent Elder

International Development International Development Research CentreResearch Centre

(IDRC)(IDRC)

““the cell phone is the cell phone is the single most the single most transformative transformative technology for technology for development.development.””Jeffrey Sachs Jeffrey Sachs

What has IDRC What has IDRC learned about the learned about the impact of ICTs on impact of ICTs on socio-economic socio-economic development?development?

Presentation structurePresentation structure

Who uses ICTs and why in Who uses ICTs and why in developing countries?developing countries?

WhatWhat’’s the evidence of impact in s the evidence of impact in various development areas?various development areas?

What are new and current issues?What are new and current issues? ConclusionsConclusions

Mobile Usage and Access Mobile Usage and Access

BOP used a phone in the preceding 3 months

Pakistan India Sri Lanka

Philippines

Thailand

98% 94% 92% 93% 95%

Mobile Usage and AccessMobile Usage and Access

BOP Spending on mobile phones as % of BOP Spending on mobile phones as % of incomeincome

BrazilBrazil ArgentinaArgentina India and Sri India and Sri LankaLanka

3.2%3.2% 6.3%6.3% 6%6%

Why Does the Bottom of the Why Does the Bottom of the Pyramid Use Mobile Pyramid Use Mobile

Phones?Phones? Perceived impact of mobile access for the Perceived impact of mobile access for the

poor? poor? 1= worsened, 5= improved1= worsened, 5= improved

Efficiency of daily activities Efficiency of daily activities 4.24.2

Ability to earn or save Ability to earn or save 3.73.7

Family and Social relations Family and Social relations 4.44.4

Ability to act in an emergency Ability to act in an emergency 4.64.6

Impact on Economic Impact on Economic GrowthGrowth

Impact on Economic Impact on Economic GrowthGrowth

Kenya: ICTs responsible for 25% of Kenya: ICTs responsible for 25% of GDPGDP

Peru: household incomes of Internet Peru: household incomes of Internet users 19% higher than non-usersusers 19% higher than non-users

very poor with access to ICTs were very poor with access to ICTs were able to spend $21 more a month able to spend $21 more a month than those without accessthan those without access

Impact on Rural Impact on Rural LivelihoodsLivelihoods

Direct Production

85%

Transaction costs15%

Cost of information in the agricultural Cost of information in the agricultural production value chainproduction value chain

Total Cost of Good

Impact on Rural Impact on Rural LivelihoodsLivelihoods

Costs linked to information

70%

Cost of information in the agricultural Cost of information in the agricultural production value chainproduction value chain

Total Transaction Costs

Impact on Rural Impact on Rural LivelihoodsLivelihoods

Other (30%)

11-12% of the value of an 11-12% of the value of an agricultural good is linked to agricultural good is linked to information information

Mobiles are seen as the principal Mobiles are seen as the principal means of reducing those costsmeans of reducing those costs

Impact on Rural Impact on Rural LivelihoodsLivelihoods

Impact on HealthImpact on Health

Impact on EducationImpact on Education

Governance and Digital Governance and Digital ActivismActivism

New issuesNew issues

Open DataOpen Data

Crowd SourcingCrowd Sourcing

Crowd Sourcing: Crowd Sourcing: HarassmapHarassmap

It’s not all good news

• The internet is largely unaffordable to most• Many governments and NGOs see apps or ICTs

as a silver bullet solution

• Communities are littered with ineffective ICT4D projects

Getting in touch with

me:[email protected]

www.idrc.ca

www.crdi.ca