The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Published 22 years ago
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Use of Information and Communication Technologies in International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

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Summary

Executive Summary


This study was designed to test some of Acacia's assumptions about the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in development by extracting lessons from previous project experiences. The overall objective was to provide input that would help shape the design and implementation of the Acacia program initiative by answering questions about the following eight topics.

  1. Policies. National ICT policies and legislation, as well as the policies of donor agencies with respect to ICTs, were influenced by project activities and consultations and lobbying efforts by Centre staff. These efforts were facilitated by email and Internet access. Geographic information systems (GIS) projects demonstrated the potential of this technology to encourage planners and communities to take a more holistic view of development problems.
  2. Organizations and Interactions. Program support helped create an "information culture" and an environment in which people with similar interests could share ideas and were encouraged to form professional associations and informal networks. Although ICTs supported these interactions, traditional communication continued to be important.
  3. Resources. Opportunities were seized to build on skills and equipment from previous Centre support and to benefit from links with other donors. Training included technical skills and "awareness" training for potential users and decision-makers. Projects emphasized regional training and relied on local capabilities to establish and manage ICT systems.
  4. Barriers. ICTs were most effective in overcoming barriers of distance and time. Electronic mail and associated list servers were used most often. GIS technologies helped overcome language barriers by presenting complex spacial relationships as more easily understood maps.
  5. Innovative Solutions. In most of the projects, ICTs were the innovative aspect of the project. Several projects provided access to hardware and software that offered capabilities that were previously inaccessible. These technologies provided project personnel with tools they could use to work on development problems.
  6. Empowerment. By providing improved access, enhanced sharing, and timely delivery of information, ICTs empower people to take action. Projects were able to create a culture of communication and were most effective in this role when information was tailored to the needs of users.
  7. Community Involvement. Local grassroots communities continue to depend on cooperatives and local community organizations to mediate their access to the information provided by ICTs. Broader communities of users are being developed as ICT access spreads. Close attention to community needs and appropriately targeted information services and products are crucial if local communities are to benefit from ICTs.
  8. Jobs and Economic Activity. When jobs and economic activity were created, they were in most cases in the information and communication sector. It was difficult to find evidence for job creation beyond the individual projects. Nonetheless, a few projects created conditions that favoured economic activity or supported groups that could create or influence economic activity.

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Source

IDRC