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The
Role of ICTs in the Development of Sustainable Livelihoods:
A
set of Tables
by
Simon Batchelor and Nigel Scott
Version
2 2001
Dr Andrew Barnett developed (and is continuing to
develop) a set of tables to relate the sustainable livelihood framework to the
cross-sectoral subject of energy. Energy is a neglected element of the
livelihood framework and the construction of a fairly simplistic set of tables
was intended to be a discussion starter and a prompt to include energy in
livelihoods planning. It struck a cord with engineers who find it
difficult to relate to the sociological thinking of the framework.
This documents takes Andrew’s basic idea of a set
of tables, and attempts to make a first draft for Information and
Communication Technologies. Again this is a subject that is not a sector
in its own right and cuts across many development themes. New
opportunities are available in asset development in education, health,
agriculture, organisational development, community capacity building,
etc. At the same time, there is considerable discussion of the
digital divide. ICT specialists (enthusiasts) are claiming that it is
vital to bridge the digital divide and are intiating specific ICT projects
that focus on the clients who are the very poor. These ICT specialists
tend to be technologists and there is the possibility that ICT projects or
programmes will be implemented without due regard to the lessons learned that
has resulted in the livelihood framework.
This documents is to couple the practicalities of
ICT work with the framework to make it easier for ICT specialists to
discuss their programmes with social advisers, and to assist the project
planning to take adequate account of all the factors revealed in the
livelihood framework.
The Sustainable Livelihood Framework
– “the diagram”
Sustainable
Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, Dfid, 2000.
A
flash view of the Livelihoods model
Please
be aware that this is 500K
Table
1: Linkages between livelihood assets and ICTs
“The livelihoods approach is concerned first and
foremost with people. It seeks to gain an accurate and realistic understanding
of people’s strengths (assets or capital endowments) and how they endeavour
to convert these into positive livelihood outcomes. The approach is founded on
a belief that people require a range of assets to achieve positive livelihood
outcomes; no single category of assets on its own is sufficient to yield all
the many and varied livelihood outcomes that people seek”. Sustainable
Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, Dfid, 2000.
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Capital Asset
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Link with energy intervention/improvement
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Examples from Case Studies
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1. Natural Capital
(natural resource stocks from which resource
flows useful for livelihoods are derived)
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1.
GSM positioning can assist accurate mapping.
2.
Satellite images and aerial photography can be stored and
communicated through ICTs, leading to more accurate monitoring of
natural resource changes and changes in land use.
3.
Global communication offers increased ease of opportunity for
advocacy. Global campaigns can be started by community groups in
remote areas by use of global ICTs (satellite, internet, mobile phones,
video)
4.
Similarly Mobile and internet technology lessens the centralised
control of communications and co-ordination of civil protest.
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1.
MIGIS
2.
MIGIS, Kuminfo
3.
Revistazo, Global Voices
4.
Revistazo
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2. Social Capital
(social resources on which people draw in
pursuit of livelihoods i.e. relationships, membership of networks)
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1.
Global and national communications allow migrant workers to
remain in touch with families and remit finances.
2.
Community groups have access to both e-governance and related
information.
3.
Community groups and individuals have access to international
advocates whether civil society or commercial.
4.
Increase opportunities for national and global economic
activities
5.
Advice for life events – Telecentres and other public of semi
public for a offer opportunities for getting advice and information re
life events
6.
Linkages in education between teachers and pupils across
continents
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1.
Digital Village
2.
Gynadoot, Manage
3.
Global Voices
4.
Food Indiashop
5.
Digital Village, UDS, Gyandoot, Manage, Cardin
6.
Not in case studies but available in examples of Birmingham
schools linkages and british councils schemes
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3. Human Capital
(skills, knowledge, ability to work, good health
which enable people to pursue different livelihood strategies)
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1.
Distance learning through specialist broadcasts (satellite and
internet), capacity building at community, government and organisational
levels.
2.
Combining traditional media with new ICTs to enhance livelihoods
3.
Schools – learning through and with ICTs
4.
Health advice – connecting rural centres
5.
Capture and retention of indigenous knowledge
6.
New working skills – learning specific computer based skills,
but also operating phones shops, etc
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1.
CARDIN, UDS, Manage, Gyandoot
2.
Manage, Gyandoot, UDS
3.
Gyandoot, Manage,
4.
Manage, Gyandoot, UDS
5.
MIGIS, Kuminfo, ACISAM,
6.
Gyandoot, Manage, UDS,
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4. Physical Capital
(basic infrastructure for the supply of energy,
shelter, water, transport and communications, production equipment)
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1.
Access to information and communication technology
2.
Knowledge of basic rights to infrastructure and therefore
enhanced ability to lobby utility providers.
3.
Reduction of transport needs through the use of ICTs – eg
market data
4.
Access to improved production equipment through more extensive
researching of products (through ICTs).
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1.
Manage, Gyandoot, UDS, Deniva,
2.
Revistazo
3.
Manage, Gyandoot, UDS, Deniva, CARDIN
4.
Manage, Gyandoot, UDS
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5. Financial Capital
(financial resources available which provide
livelihood options e.g. savings, credit, remittances, pensions).
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1.
The increases in profit margins that result from increased access
to improved information – eg ability to sell at best market prices,
ability to sell beyond local market.
2.
Possible increased access to financial services
3.
Increased remittances from migrant workers
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1.
Gyandoot, Manage
2.
Gyandoot
3.
Digital Village
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Table
2: Linkages between Vulnerability Context and ICTs
“The
Vulnerability Context frames the external environment in which people exist.
People’s livelihoods and the wider availability of assets are fundamentally
affected by critical trends as well as by shocks and seasonality
– over which they have limited or no control.
The
box below provides examples (this is not a complete list):
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Trends
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Shocks
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Seasonality
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•
Population trends
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• Human
health shocks
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• Of
prices
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• Resource
trends (including conflict)
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• Natural
shocks
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• Of
production
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•
National/international economic trends
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• Economic
shocks
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• Of
health
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• Trends
in governance (including politics)
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• Conflict
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• Of
employment opportunities
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•
Technological trends
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•
Crop/livestock health shocks
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Sustainable
Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, Dfid, 2000.
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Vulnerability
Context
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ICT Link
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1. Geography
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1.
Climate prediction with associated early warning systems
2.
Volcano and earthquake monitoring
3.
GSM and resource mapping (satellite and aerial photography)
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1.
CARDIN, MIGIS, KUMINFO
2.
CARDIN
3.
MIGIS, KUMINFO
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2. Location
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1.
Remoteness can be overcome
2.
Difficulties with operation
and maintenance
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1.
MIGIS, Grameen Phones
2.
MIGIS, DENIVA, UDS
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3. Seasonality
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1.
Weather patterns may affect radio and satellite links.
2.
Flooding may increase importance of ICTs, and may reduce
effectiveness for turning requests for help into action.
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1.
CARDIN, KUMINFO
2.
Gyandoot
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4. Population
density
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1.
Public ICTs may be overwhelmed by demand?
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1.
Gyandoot, Manage, Digital Village,
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5. Trends in governance (including politics)
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1.
Restructuring of the telecom sectors is largely a political
process resulting in both threats and opportunities for poor people’s
access to ICT services.
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1.
Gyandoot, Manage,
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6. Technological
trends
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1.
Massive technical change in recent years has altered people’s
ideas of what is possible. Video and broadband offer even more
opportunities
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1.
GYandoot, Manage, ACISAM, Revistazo, CARDIN
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7. Shocks
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1.
Share price shocks in technology companies make users
vulnerable to disappearance of supplier and maintenance contracts.
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1.
All organisations whose equipment relies solely on supplier and
maintenance contract for repairs.
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Table
3: Linkages between structures, institutions, processes and energy
“Transforming
Structures and Processes within the livelihoods framework are the
institutions, organisations, policies and legislation that shape livelihoods.
Their importance cannot be over-emphasised. They operate at all levels, from
the household to the international arena, and in all spheres, from the most
private to the most public. They effectively determine:
• access (to
various types of capital, to livelihood strategies and to decision-making
bodies and sources of influence);
• the terms of
exchange between different types of capital; and
• returns
(economic and otherwise) to any given livelihood strategy”.
“Structures in
the framework are the hardware – the organisations, both private and public
– that set and implement policy and legislation, deliver services, purchase,
trade and perform all manner of other functions that affect livelihoods. They
draw their legitimacy from the basic governance framework”.
“If structures
can be thought of as hardware, processes can be thought of as software. They
determine the way in which structures – and individuals – operate and
interact. And like software, they are both crucial and complex: not only are
there many types of processes operating at a variety of different levels, but
there is also overlap and conflict between them. The box shows just some of
the transforming processes of importance to livelihoods.
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Policies
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Legislation
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Institutions
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Culture
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Power
Relations
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• Macro
• Sectoral
•
Redistributive
•
Regulatory
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•
International agreements
• Domestic
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•
Markets
•
Institutions that regulate access to assets
•
‘Rules of game’ within structures
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•
Societal norms and beliefs
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• Age
• Gender
• Caste
• Class
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Sustainable
Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, Dfid, 2000
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Institution/Process
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ICT Link
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1. National
government
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o
Responsible for the regulation of Telecoms and often for the
supply of major if not all services.
o
Responsible for much of the “enabling environment” required
for efficient public and private sector development in the Telecom
service industries.
o
The main source of subsidies of Telecom related services.
o
The main regulator determining the type of ownership and degree
of competition at each part of the Telecom supply chain.
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2. Local government
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o
Often responsible for public supply of ICT equipment –
libraries, phone shops, schools.
o
Responsible also for basic infrastructure (electricity, roads,
housing), which affects the availability, reliability and cost of ICT
delivery.
o
Responsible for regulation and permits associated with small
scale ICT retail businesses (eg phone shops, Telecentres, Internet
cafes)
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3. Community Level Institutions
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o
Often crucially important in the mobilisation, organisation and
development of schemes to introduce publically available ICTs
(Telecentres, Libraries, Phone shops)
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4. Firms
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o
Providers of telecom services and, often in partnership with
government, suppliers of ICT related infrastructure.
o
Small and micro firms are likely to be the main actors in the
supply and use of improved ICT services that are used by poor people.
o
Larger firms willing to donate equipment in order to gain
publicity and secure market hold.
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5. Civil society
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o
Can play important role in interventions to improve ICT
services at the local level e.g. Telecentres for the poor, schools
equipment.
o
Represent an important sources of technical and other
information.
o
Sometimes restricted by funding, inclination or expertise to a
limited range of technical options.
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6. Laws
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o
Regulate the provision of telecom services.
o
Regulate contract tender procedures for infrastructure
construction
o
Determine the monopoly powers of the state and utilities in the
supply of telecom services.
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7. Gender relations
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o
Determine how telecom assets and technologies are used.
The poverty impact of ICT related interventions will be largely
determined by the end-use technologies that are adopted, and the
gender impact will in turn will depend on the extent to which women
are empowered to choose.
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8. Other Power
Relations
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o
Village hierarchies, caste, belief systems play important roles
in determining the “space” in which ICT services can be offered
(access to information; the ‘rights’ to set up retail outlets,
etc)
o
Religious beliefs might influence use of ICTs – young people
not allowed to surf in unregulated environments.
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Table
4. ICT related Livelihood Strategies
“The livelihoods approach seeks to promote choice,
opportunity and diversity. …Livelihood strategies [is] the overarching
term used to denote the range and combination of activities and choices that
people make/undertake in order to achieve their livelihood goals (including
productive activities, investment strategies, reproductive choices, etc.)”
Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, Dfid, 2000
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1. Gaining additional
income by retailing ICT services
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o
Phone shops
o
Telecentres
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2. Gaining access to improved ICT services
at the household level
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o
Mobile phones replacing delayed land lines
o
Improved education through television, radio and computers.
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3. Gaining access to improved ICT
services, by increasing production efficiency
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o
Improved information services result in increased productivity (eg
through timeliness) which results in a greater ability to pay for
improved ICT services. Opportunities range from the lowest
technologies, and the smallest scales upwards (agro-processing, small
and micro enterprises etc).
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4. Grouping
with others to obtain access to improved ICT services, for production,
household consumption or for community services (health centres,
schools, security lighting).
|
o
Community based activities enable labour to be converted into
capital (eg through civil works) and capture the economies of
scale. Public Telecentres can become a repository of knowledge
that enhances the whole community.
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Table 5. Livelihood Outcomes
“Livelihood Outcomes are the achievements or outputs
of Livelihood Strategies. Once again, the important idea associated with this
component of the framework is that we, as outsiders, investigate, observe and
listen, rather than jumping to quick conclusions or making hasty judgements
about the exact nature of the outcomes that people pursue. In particular, we
should not assume that people are entirely dedicated to maximising their
income. Rather, we should recognise and seek to understand the richness of
potential livelihood goals. This, in turn, will help us to understand people’s
priorities, why they do what they do, and where the major constraints lie”.
Sustainable
Livelihoods Guidance Sheets, Dfid, 2000.
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1. More Income
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o
Income from the sale of ICT services
o
Income from ICT related productivity gains
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Income from remittances of migrant workers
o
Improved income from reduced transport
o
Improved income through timeliness of sales
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2. Increased
well-being
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o
Reduced drudgery by replacing transport with “distant enquiries”
o
Increased education as a result of better schools
o
Better health from health services that have access to improved
information and knowledge
o
Better health from health services through improved timeliness
o
Improved access to information through radio, television and
other Information Technology.
o
Sense of inclusion in the “modern” world.
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3. Reduced
Vulnerability
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o
Early warning for climate and geographical catastrophes
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Access to wider social networks – stronger coping mechanisms
o
Access to advocacy networks and government
o
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4. Improved Food
Security
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o
Improved timeliness of purchases and sales
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Wider access to production equipment
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Improved knowledge for production and storage
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5. More Sustainable
Use of Natural Resources
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o
Greater awareness of global issues
o
Access to advocacy networks and government
o
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[6. Improving the
position of women]
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o
Reduction of time consuming tasks (eg travel to markets)
o
More reliable remittances from migrant family members
o
Access to the outside world through radio and other information
and communication technology (increased knowledge and social position)
o
Better and more timely health care both through knowledge and
access to health workers.
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