Identify Sustainable Uses of Technology
Operation Tech Start will conduct a needs assessment survey that evaluates the current & potential ICT capacity in the six districts of the Tabora Region: Urambo, Nzega, Iguna, Tabora Urban, Uyui, and Sikonge. Our work will identify the opportunities for improving voice/data access as well as communication practices.
Download Rural ICT Brochure (PDF)
Several times a month the project team will meet and discuss the communication methods with key stakeholders in the local industries from farmers to international corporations.
KEY QUESTIONS:
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Who needs the information, who has the information and how do they find each other?
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What delivery mode will allow the information provider and receiver to share information at the right time?
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What are the start-up and on-going costs to create, share, and store data?
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Who will fix the technology tools and/or infrastructure?
Methodology
Over a period of nine months, Operation Tech Start staff and volunteers will gather data, meet with the key stakeholders, and conduct focus group studies to analyze the three main areas of our study:
1. Knowledge Management
Like any other key business input, agricultural knowledge and information needs to be managed so that the right information gets to the right person at the right time in a user-friendly and accessible manner so that jobs can be performed efficiently. A successful knowledge system uses only the information that is the most meaningful, practical, and purposeful.
2. Communication Methodology
Bridging the rural digital divide requires an understanding of how people in different cultures learn to use and apply the technology. For the project to be successful, the design of the information and communication technologies must not fall prey to the allure of “neat gadgets” or mismatches between the information system and the local user realities.
3. Feasibility of Rural Technologies
Agricultural businesses that reside in industrialized countries often benefit from well-functioning telecommunication systems, reliable electricity, and reasonably affordable access to ICTs. In developing countries such as Tanzania, the technical infrastructure, equipment costs, and electrical scarcity in rural areas need careful consideration before implementing a technology strategy. While upgrade capabilities, technical support, and daily oversight of information are areas that must be addressed to ensure the longevity of a communication plan.
