Information and communication technologies (ICTs)

The introduction and rapid spread of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), such as the world wide web, e-mail, telephones, fibre optics and satellites is revolutionising the way in which societies interact, conduct their businesses, compete in international markets and set their economic and human development agendas.

ICTs enable societies to produce, access, adapt and apply information in greater amounts, more rapidly and at reduced costs and offer enormous opportunities for enhancing business and economic viability.

ICTs can also contribute towards strengthening democracy, increasing social participation, competing in the global market place and removing barriers to modernisation; making poor populations fuller agents in the sustainable developmental process.

However, with the rapid introduction of these technologies in the western world, the gap between the rich and the poor nations is widening.

A 'global information' society threatens to create a new divide between the 'information rich' and 'information poor' people of the world as poorer and marginalised people in developing countries are excluded from the benefits of new communication technologies.

While poor nations grapple with the problems of investing in these technologies, recent experiments show that convergence of new and traditional communication media is still relevant to poor communities who lack basic infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity and telephones.

ICTs are not just about technologies, but more about information transfer and communication.

Considering the potentials as well as constraints of these technologies, Practical Action is seeking to explore whether and how the traditional and new ICTs can be effectively used among the poor to reduce poverty and enhance their productivity and competitiveness in the global market place.

Our work in ICTs includes:

InfoDes telecentres Community telecentres in Peru give many their first taste of how modern communications technologies can be used to improve their livelihoods. Radio and HIV/Aids Practical Action is helping people in Kenya to talk about HIV/Aids through one of the most influential devices in rural communities - the radio.

Second Voice A cheap, but advanced piece of communications technology allows isolated communities to receive and share information simply and easily. Podcasting in Peru In Peru, Practical Action is testing the potential of podcasting to disseminate knowledge for poverty reduction, using a mixture of new and old technology.