AFRO-NETS> Global Knowledge 97 Conference

Global Knowledge 97 Conference
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Source: AFRIK-IT@LISTSERV.HEA.IE

Global Knowledge 97 has indeed been a focus of energy for many of us. Now
that the conference is over I have mixed reactions to the event. As with
most conferences, it was the sessions in the hallways, coffee shops and
bars that were the most productive. As a conference to "examine the new
opportunities for participation, partnership and dialogue created by the
information revolution; the equity and access challenges posed by new tech-
nologies; and the ways in which information and knowledge can serve as
tools of economic and social empowerment," opportunities for constructive
dialogue, and collaborative advancement of real action were few and far be-
tween within the plenary sessions and "working sessions." The "working ses-
sions" were largely one-way communication of brief "wow look at the cool
stuff we're doing" panels of speakers. The opportunity to parallel the
participatory themes of the conference with actual participatory discussion
and planning sessions was largely lost.

Having been to the wonderfully participatory and constructive FAO confer-
ence in Quebec City in Sept. 1995, where 1200 people worked in small par-
ticipatory groups to successfully generate specific action plans, I came to
GK97 with the expectation that this conference could replicate at least
some of the participatory processes demonstrated in Quebec City. Only the
sessions dealing with gender, women and indigenous people hit that mark (as
might be expected).

That said, I think that at least some of the decision-makers at the multi-
lateral donor and finance agencies came away with an improved perspective on
the value of Information-Communication Technology (ICT) in development.
GK97 generated some policy momentum that will likely materialize into ac-
tion in the near future. I remain cynical that much of the action will in-
volve participation of the poor, particularly the rural poor. There still
seems to be a general orientation to ICT that is focused on the administra-
tion of development programs and enhancement of established institutional
actors in developing countries. Grassroots voices, needs, desires and ac-
tion plans seem to still be at the margins.

One question that was hardly addressed is the use of existing multi-lateral
institution investments in their own administrative networks being lever-
aged by procurement policies that would favour sourcing ICT services (e.g.
ISPs) from the indigenous private sector and NGO sectors in developing
countries. The donor funds directed to ICT projects are a drop in the
bucket compared to the money already being spent on internal ICT adminis-
trative systems. Most of the latter money finds its way to the pockets of
Northern multi-nationals and high-priced ICT consultants. Progressive de-
veloping country-focused ICT procurement policies remain a distant dream.
The obvious need for improved rural access to ICT tools and applications in
developing countries (e.g. basic phone service and rural telecentres)
gained some rhetorical support at GK97. It remains to be seen if this will
be a priority area for real action by anyone. This would be an obvious
niche role for an organization such as FAO which has a strong rural devel-
opment focus, but FAO staff participation at GK97 was sparse, so it remains
to be seen if FAO will take a leading role in this area. Fortunately, FAO
was able to provide support for a few people from rural ICT field projects
who were able to tell at least some of the GK97 delegates about rural ICT
engagement strategies that have actually achieved results for rural people
and small producers. Dede Amonor Wilks, who helped organize the IDRC/FAO/
SADC/UofGuelph "Rural Connectivity Workshop" in Harare (Feb/97), made a ex-
cellent presentation on the sophistication of the ICT ideas, plans and ru-
ral development talents of Southern African rural & agricultural NGOs that
are keen to see the Internet and ICT enhance rural development at the
grassroots via rural telecentres and related applications.

IDRC, UNDP (SDNP), the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricul-
tural Development (IFAD) seemed to me to express the most support for
grassroots and rural ICT initiatives. IFAD's profile gained significant
exposure at GK97 (thanks to a plenary speach by their Secretary General,
Fawzi Hamad Al-Sultan, and an active delegation of staff who held informal
consultative meetings with reps of rural and agricultural organizations),
and it will be worthwhile to learn more about their existing and planned
activities. The Canadian Int'l Development Agency (CIDA) had a high pro-
file and seemed to be using the GK97 opportunity to focus internal policy
dialogue that may very well lead to future action. Already, CIDA seems to
be encouraging non-ICT focused projects to incorporate ICT components - a
strategy that may very well demonstrate wise leadership through
"mainstreaming" ICT and the Internet as normal components within develop-
ment projects.

Bellanet (http://www.bellanet.org) shone, for me anyway, as the light on
the path to the future due to its role in enabling donor agencies to openly
and transparently share information and collaborate. I hope that agencies
such as FAO and IFAD see the wisdom in joining the Bellanet group of agen-
cies. IDRC still seems to be the agency with the most on-the-ground expe-
rience at the grassroots, and with the most interest in sharing lessons
learned and initiating creative pilot projects. IDRC is an agency that
makes me proud to be a supporting Canadian tax payer :slight_smile:

Nidhi Tandon of ABANTU for Development provided a refreshing and inspiring
presence to focus attention on people's organizations (especially women's)
at the grassroots across Africa. GK97 needed much more of this, but given
the ICT learning among senior staff that is only now emerging in the multi-
lateral agencies, GK97 played an important role in helping decision-makers
gain a better understanding of what's going on.

There is talk of follow-up to GK97, continuation of the various on-line
discussion forums, etc. Those of us on this list should continue to con-
tribute meaningful ideas for actions and strategies.

Cheers,
Don Richardson
Director - Don Snowden Program for Development Communication
Dept. of Rural Extension Studies
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
mailto:drichard@UOGUELPH.CA

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