http://www.iicd.org Projects in the Livelihoods Sector daily 1 2007-06-22T12:38:49Z http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/ghana-cici Ghana’s Ministry of Communications, through its agency GIFTEL, Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications, is constructing 230 Community Information Centres (CICs) as hybrid for profit and non-profit community resource centres to provide business services and community development information for remote communities with the aim to provide community information needs and enhance national integration; create ICT awareness in the rural areas; disseminate information to the rural communities especially in areas of education, agriculture, environment, health, local government; provide opportunities for ICT training in the communities; support business activities in the rural communities and support community-based organisations. Depending on the requirements of the particular District Assemblies, the support from IICD will target ten centres while providing strategic advice to Ministry and Assemblies in terms of the technical, organizational and financial sustainability of the CICs and further providing technical and business development training for CIC staff members, advising on connectivity solutions, deploying monitoring and evaluation tools, as well as facilitating knowledge sharing through the national ICT4D network GINKS. No publisher annemiek IICD project 2008-06-09T07:57:50Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/ghana-wadep Agricultural market access for small producers in the Volta Region, like elsewhere in Ghana, is poor and frustrating. Through this project, small-scale producers (the pilot starts with yam, cassava and cowpea producers) are given support by the Women and Development (WADEP) organisation with technical information regarding production, marketing skills and opportunities, and access to timely information. The knowledge they acquire allows them to improve their negotiation position with buyers and traders, which in turn contributes to the improvement of their livelihoods. No publisher annemiek 2008-06-02T12:46:41Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/ghana-pepc A Business Development Centre will be established in the office of PEPS-C to support and promote small and medium size private sector businesses. Using the ICT facilities, the project will provide capacity building in business skills, give access to market information and establish a platform to share knowledge. No publisher annemiek 2008-05-20T12:32:36Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/bolivia-info-system-santa-cruz 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. No publisher annemiek IICD project 2008-04-07T13:55:42Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/zambia-sif1 The Small Initiative Fund contains 5 small projects and targets Livelihoods and Life Skills Training programmes that are currently being carried out by community-based organisations for disadvantaged members of the communities. Most focus on the marginalised groups of Youth and Women that are expected to sustain the households, often without having enjoyed any formal education or having any professional skills. This project will provide them with ICT equipment and skills to improve their livelihood. No publisher annemiek ICT4D IICD project 2008-09-19T08:55:49Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/mali-sene-kunafoni-bulon IER-TRANS is a branch of Mali’s national Institute for Agricultural Research (IER) that focuses on the transformation chain of products like mangos, onions, potatoes, etc. The regional bureau of IER-TRANS was set up in Sikasso in 2002. Over the past four years it has established close relationships with organisations of mango producers and mango transformers and the Federation of Potato Producers. In response to requests made by its members, it looks up information on production and transformation methods and passes it on to them. The project will improve the flow of information to and from IER-TRANS and between farmers in the region. No publisher annemiek IICD project 2008-02-04T11:07:17Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/mali-quality-fruilema Through this project, Fruilema, a Malian fruit and vegetable concern, is seeking to acquire the tools and resources needed to meet the stringent requirements for exporting Malian farm products to international markets. More specifically, the project involves setting up an information and communication system to identify producers, farm plots, and products quantity and quality for purposes of analysis, understanding and decision-making support. This database will be coupled with a website. The available information will be disseminated to various stakeholders such as producers, trackers, collectors, importers. No publisher annemiek IICD project 2008-01-28T09:58:48Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/mali-jekafo-gelekan The Regional Committee for Coordination of Rural People (CRCR) in Sikasso has initiated the project Jèkafo Guèlèkan, meaning “let’s speak together under the palaver tree”. The projects focuses on linking the Local Committees for Coordination of Farmers’ Organisations (CLCOPs) to local sections of farmers’ organisations of CRCR in the Sikasso area. The aim is to set up a communication system for agricultural producers affiliated to CRCR - which comprises 215 local organisations (of which 115 are women’s organisations) - and other stakeholders in the development of the Sikasso region. By using ICT, rural dwellers – both producers and processors – can learn about opportunities for improving their economic situation and to help them take advantage of such opportunities. No publisher annemiek IICD project 2008-03-17T09:51:12Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/ghana-mapronet Through its market information service facility and training activities, Market Access Promotion Network (Mapronet) supports its affiliated small and medium sized cooperatives. The network will develop a web-based market information system that provides regular overviews of relevant market information needed by producer groups, buyers, traders and other relevant stakeholders to support their sustainable livelihoods. During the pilot phase, this system will be implemented with three organisations: two facilitating network members of Mapronet: Altranet (Volta region) and Trade Aid Integrated (Tamale) together with the Mapronet headquater in Tamale. No publisher annemiek ICT4D IICD project 2008-01-18T14:03:15Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/zambia-oppaz The Integrating ICT for Quality Assurance and Marketing project helps to build an internal control system for the inspectors of Organic Producers and Processors Association of Zambia (OPPAZ). The project is supported by IICD since 2006. With the open source database the inspectors are able to collect the necessary data (plot data, crop type, crop produce) on a handheld computer. OPPAZ assists around 700 farmers to obtain international certification. The system will be tested at three pilot sites (Chongwe, Mongu and Mpongwe). The data collected will also be published on the internet. This publication can be viewed by international partners who would like to buy the produce of the member farmers. The system has therefore a double function as internal control system and as marketing tool. No publisher annemiek ICT4D IICD project 2008-09-15T15:56:27Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/iicdprojects.2007-11-12.0704054520 The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has been tasked with the development of a strategy and relevant programmes the sector for implementing the relevant provisions of the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4D Policy). Towards achieving this, and through on-going discussion with the Ministry of Communications, a technical sub-committee has been installed. The work of the sub-committee is guided by the Terms of Reference as given by the Ministry of Communications. No publisher annemiek IICD project 2007-11-12T11:52:34Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/zambia-nais This project is supported by IICD since 2006 and is run by National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS), a department of the Ministry of Agriculture. It involves managing the information flow between Lusaka and disctrict station Kasama in the North of the country. Currently, there is one extension worker to approximately 1000 farmers, and most information is collected in person from sources and then stored as hard copy. This project aims to improve information flow within NAIS through the use of internet; strengthen linkages between agricultural research, extension, farmers and other stakeholders; increase the capacity of NAIS to collect, process, package, store and disseminate agricultural information and increase capacity of NAIS to publish in more accurate and appropriate formats. No publisher annemiek ICT4D IICD project 2008-09-19T09:38:14Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/BF_SahelSolidarite This project, scheduled to last one year, will engage in a variety of activities aimed at increased provision of training and information to promote water hygiene and sanitation through the use of NICT. The project will cover 20 villages. The beneficiaries will be agricultural producers, pupils and civil servants. During this phase, the project will take an approach that is much more focused on the active involvement of beneficiaries in the transfer process. Special emphasis will be given to the visibility of the experiences to be published. No publisher admin Local Networking Thematics 2007-03-08T12:40:59Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/mali-ict-for-shea-butter-producers The aim of the project is to promote shea butter while at the same time increasing the turnover of the Zantiébougou Women Shea Butter Producers Cooperative (COPROKAZAN) through the use of NICT. To achieve this goal, the project calls for the installation of lighting and computers, training of women in the use of standard software and office automation tools, installation of e-mail, creation of a website, and advertising on radio and television. No publisher admin IICD project 2008-02-04T13:39:31Z IICDproject http://www.iicd.org/projects/articles/Ghana-ECAMIC The ECAMIC project focuses on supporting farmers in the Eastern Corridor through forming cooperative farmer groups. The Social Enterprise Foundation of West Africa (SEND) promotes the cultivation of soy beans in the northeast of Ghana through the ECAMIC project in order to contribute to improving the livelihood of more than 2000 farming families in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana. The potential market for soya beans and their high nutritional value offer potential to enhance income of farmers as well as improve food security. No publisher admin 2008-06-03T07:44:36Z IICDproject