Microsoft Research India Co-Founder: "Focus on People, not on Technology"
Oct 31 2011, Agriculture, Economic Development, Education
- Source:
- Suzanne van der Velden [svelden(at)iicd.org]
- Country:
- Sector:
- Agriculture, Economic Development, Education
In order to successfully use ICT for development, the focus should never be on technology but on people, says Microsoft Research India Co-Founder Kentaro Toyama. He was a keynote speaker at the 'ICT for a greener economy in developing countries' conference organised by IICD.
As an example of how people are the main focus in ICT for development, Toyama mentioned the mobile phone. "For a mobile phone, you need someone who is willing to sell it to you, you need somebody to provide electricity and you need someone to maintain the phone. All kinds of systems need to be in place in order for that mobile phone to really work. There's an entire economy that supports those different components. And what's interesting is that many of those components are ultimately human in nature. Without the people, that technology will not survive.
Watch the short version of Toyama's speech on Youtube:
Other speeches of the event on youtube:
Ben Knapen, Dutch Minister for International Cooperation
Caroline Figuères, Managing Director IICD
Hans den Hartog, CEO Inter Access
Jozias van Aartsen, Chairman Board of Trustees IICD
Hennie Wesseling, Board Member WorldPC
.