Projects

Agriculture Information and Communication System Santa Cruz - Bolivia — by Web editor — last modified 2008-04-07 15:55

This leveraging programme builds on the project experience of ICO in the province of Vallegrande, who has implemented an agriculture price information system using a combination of internet-linked information centres and rural radio and information system providing information on expected production volumes at provincial level serving as a decision support system for farmers. The departmental government of Santa Cruz has decided to take over and replicate the system to 15 other provinces in the department.

Educational Computer Centres in Yapacani - Bolivia — by Web editor — last modified 2008-04-07 15:49

The project aims to facilitate access of the education sector in Yapacaní to the information and knowledge society through the set-up and operation of four pilot computer centres and the development of competences in ICT of local secondary school teachers. The computer centres will boost the economic and social development of the region, and foster the development and exchange of meaningful local content.

National ICT Strategy for the Education Sector — by Web editor — last modified 2008-02-26 08:57

Within the Ministry of Education of Bolivia, the ICT for education policy is a key pillar, next to a national alphabetisation policy. IICD has been assisting the Ministry (2003-2005) to formulate a national ICT policy and strategy. In 2006 the Irish organisation GESCI assisted to finalise the formulation and to implement the national ICT for education policy for primary education. Key activities are the provision of digital educational content and services through the website www.EducaBolivia.bo and the setup of 1,000 educational telecentres in primary and secondary schools. Since 2007, IICD is providing advice in selected areas including capacity development, connectivity, sustainability of telecentres, and monitoring and evaluation.

Marketing Information System for Small Producers in the Chuquisaca Region — by admin — last modified 2007-06-22 15:36

 

Marketing Information System for Small Producers in the Chuquisaca Region — by admin — last modified 2005-02-22 14:09

Foundation ACLO assists the development of the productive capacity of small farmers in Sopachuy - Tarvita, Alcalá, and El Villar, in the Department of Chuquisaca. The Foundation promotes the increment of production and agricultural productivity. This means improving food availability and generating a surplus for the market and, at the same time, the creation of agricultural economic organizations (or associations). In the area of the marketing of agricultural products, foundations have been laid to start creating the conditions that will allow the improvement of the current situation of agricultural producers working in the area served by the project.

ICT for Agriculture in the Chiquitano Region — by admin — last modified 2006-09-01 12:13

This project aims to strengthen small indigenous farmers in the Chiquitano region in terms of their integration into local economic development through access to information and ICTs. The information and ICTs are to assist in the provision of access to market information and promotion of indigenous produce. In addition, it is aimed at increased participation in local and regional decision-making and inclusion in local development planning. Direct beneficiaries of the project include the indigenous farmers in 115 communities in the region.

Information System for Innovation and Competiveness of Small Farmers — by admin — last modified 2005-08-05 09:15

Lacking information between the differences actors in the agriculture value chain hampers the free market system. With all actors operating separately makes the position of small producers less competitive. Therefore producers need to adopt more a better structured and coordinated information strategy. ICT represent a key input to plan and implement an information system providing producers with useful information on production technologies and markets, enhancing their position in the market.

Agriculture Information and Monitoring Systems in the Valleys of Santa Cruz — by admin — last modified 2005-08-05 09:24

Since October 2001, ICO experimented with the introduction of Internet based radio programes including price information on the market of Santa Cruz for farmers in the Valleys of Santa Cruz. The positive impact of the project hitherto resulted in the preparation of a deepening/expansion project in the same region, including price information on national markets (actual prices and trends) provided by other organisations and information on local production volumes and production inputs to allow for a better planning of productoin and marketing on local level. The project will operate via one central office in Santa Cruz and three rural information centres. The centres are initially managed by ICO, but over time local communities are to take over management of the centres, seeking self-sustaining sales of services to the farmers and the wider community.

Commercial Information and Advisory System for Agriculture Producers — by admin — last modified 2006-09-01 12:14

This project allows farmers to gain access to information and knowledge on new markets for their produce. The project aims at increasing decision-making powers of producers. Project owner Ceprobol (semi-state) provides advice on export markets. The organisation is highly professional and has an important international network to promote exports. Furthermore, earlier projects at Ceprobol invested in information systems (large scale database on export markets, website and an advanced e-commerce platform). Yet, the organisation has hitherto focused exclusively on provision of services too larger exporters, therefore not accessible to small farmers. Earlier projects and funding agencies do not invest in training of project staff and in facilities and training of staff in the regions. As a result, the information is not reaching beneficiaries outside La Paz. Through this project, the organisation expresses interest in expanding services to small producers. As it is not possible to reach individual end users, it will be worked via -intermediaries- producer organisations and NGOs, who are eligible for fee advisory services on potential export markets. A needs assessment is conducted to find the actual needs of the small producer groups. The advisory services of Ceprobol are strengthened by means of enhancing ICT facilities and training of regional staff. Focus is on information and knowledge of conditions for exporting and potential export outlets of selected products.

ICT Strategy for the Agricultural Sector — by admin — last modified 2005-02-22 14:06

This project initiates the development of an ICT strategy for the Agriculture sector in Bolivia with a focus on small-scale farmers and indigenous groups. The project seeks active participation of policy makers through awareness and capacity development of top-level policy makers in the ministry of agriculture. In addition, other stakeholders in the government, NGOs, private sector and grass root organizations provide input through a series of workshops. The project is the first ICT policy project in Bolivia, providing the newly appointed policy makers in the ministry with a possibility of additional media and political attention.

Information System on Public Investment for Small Producers in Agriculture — by admin — last modified 2006-01-18 12:44

The office for coordination of the integration of farmer organisations in Bolivia (CIOEC) aims to strengthen the position of farmer organisations by means of institutional support, support in the production and marketing and lobby activities towards the government. The project is to enhance the support to the organisations in terms of access to public funds for productive investment. Organisations are provided with information on the funding opportunities, guides in the submission process and will lobby to overcome obstacles in the submission process. For this an electronic information (database) system in CIOEC is developed and the communication (e-mail) system between CIOEC and organisations is improved. Both CIOEC and organisations are trained in basic ICT skills and in the related information processes. Initially the project will work with 34 farmer organisations out of the 300 affiliated organisations around Bolivia, which can be expanded over time if successful.

ICT for the exchange of farmer experiences in ecological agriculture — by admin — last modified 2005-08-30 15:09

The project proposes the use of ICTs to assist the exchange of successful experiences related to organic agriculture and the sustainable use of natural resources among farmer communities. ICTs are used to ease the way for the dissemination of information concerning a wide range of experiences, valuable knowledge and the use of innovative technologies among small farmers. Distant communities of small organic farmers can take advantage of this information. The project consists mainly in the registration of experiences and the production and participative distribution of training material based mainly in multimedia presentation tools, combining texts, digital photography, audio, video, printed material and the production of testimonial radio programmes broadcasted through rural and community radio stations.

Global Teenager Bolivia — by admin — last modified 2005-08-30 15:05

Started in 2000, Fundacion Ayni participated with a limited number of schools in the English language Learning Circles. In 2002, a 5-year project has started with twenty schools participating in the project in the department of Oruro. Seven schools are located in highly isolated rural areas that lack all access to basic services. In total an estimated number of ten thousand students and parents benefit from the project through direct participation in the content programmes or by means of indirect access, merely through using the computer facilities. Five schools participate in the Global Teenager Project aswell as in a more basic ICT programme focused on integration of ICT in daily classes. The project seeks active collaboration with the government body responsible for education on department level.

Strengthening the Network for Sustainable Development and Environment — by admin — last modified 2005-08-30 15:03

The Network for Sustainable Development and Environment - Red de Desarrollo Sostenible y Medio Ambiente (REDESMA) - will develop an electronic portal on activities in sustainable development and environment in Bolivia.

Network of Local Radio Producers - Free Waves — by admin — last modified 2005-08-30 15:01

A group of 4 NGOs and 1 radio station in Eastern Bolivia have formed a Network of Local Radio producers to focus on the integration of radio and Internet to enhance the impact and coverage of local radio programs produced by NGOs in Bolivia. The Network enables the NGOs to exchange programmes with other localities via a jointly developed website, allowing for a wider broadcast coverage throughout Eastern Bolivia, tripling the potential number of listeners of each of the partners. Through the collaboration in a network, the participants and small radio stations expect to guarantee their independence from commercial radio stations and to keep focus on programmes with developmental relevance.

Information on Conflicts and Negotiations in Communitarian Original Indigenous Lands in Bolivia — by admin — last modified 2008-02-01 15:48

For over three centuries, indigenous groups in Bolivia have been fighting for the legalisation of the original indigenous territories. Started in 2001, CIDOB developed an information system (database and website) to track the process of land-right claims for Indigenous groups in Bolivia. Information is collected through the regional branches of CIDOB. Information is used to keep regional indigenous groups informed about the status of land right claims and to lobby for action at government level and international level.

ICT Training Centre Bolivia — by admin — last modified 2005-08-30 14:39

Currently, initiatives in the area for capacity development taken by academics, government, non-governmental and private entities are highly fragmented. This results in uncoro-ordinated and unsatisfactory results. Some of the large companies and international institutions receive training from head quarters. The rest of the organisations are in need of training, but this activity is often not seen as an obligation of the organisation, or the type of training provided is not directly applicable to actual requirements of the trainees. Therefore a huge gap in applied capacity development for the working force is present. This project will therefore focus on the establishment of a training centre in La Paz. The target group of the centre includes the participants active in the ICT for Development Programme HIVOS-IICD and other organisations contributing to development, notably NGOs, grass-root organisations, the government and small and medium scale enterprises. Taken into account the needs of the target group and the existing services offered, the project must offer a distinctive approach to training. Applying the methodology developed in collaboration with IICD, the capacity development courses will be fully customized to the needs of the trainee and the organisation and will focused on the direct application to the working environment. This will, unlike many of the ongoing training programmes in Bolivia, produce continuity and consistency in capacity development in the area of ICT.

Multimedia Systems for Ethnographic Materials — by admin — last modified 2007-09-17 15:32

NGOs and Indigenous organisations in Bolivia have developed a large amount of ethnographic materials, which contain important Indigenous knowledge on culture and economic practises in Bolivia. These materials are available in writing, audio, images and video. Yet, these materials are difficult to conserve and cannot be presented and distributed in an integrated way. If this would happen, valuable material on these populations would disappear and cannot be reconstructed as some of the groups are loosing their traditions or because some of the groups are disappearing altogether. This would result in a loss of unique knowledge of important educational and cultural value.

Technical-Commercial Information Centres for the Agro-Ecological Sector — by admin — last modified 2005-03-09 14:05

The ecological production of agricultural products has seen significant developments over the last decade: increased production, more strict demands in terms of quality control and certification, increased expectations among consumers, and growing demand for product information by international and national trading companies. These facts create the need for a network of specialised information centres for producers of ecological products. These centres are operated by local producer organisations, receiving training and coaching in the use of ICTs and provision of information services. Information services offered to producers include market tendencies, certification norms and rules and information on the latest production technology. To enhance exports of ecological products buyers can find monthly updated information on volumes and qualities of key products such as cacao, coffee, nuts, castaña, tropical fruits, amaranto, tea and quinoa.