Agriculture Research and Rural Information Network - Uganda

The Agriculture Research and Rural Information Network (ARRIN) project,  brings farmers’ information to to rural communities in Uganda through dance and drama plays. The plays are then distributed electronically so that they can be viewed by a wide audience.  

Preserving Uganda’s traditional values through dance and drama: that is the mission of Ndere Troupe, the project owner. This travelling theatre company performs all over Uganda but has its main office in Kampala. The goal of the project is to translate important messages (such as how to fight the banana wilt bacteria) to and from farmers into drama and then convey this message to a much wider audience.

To accomplish this, Ndere Troupe has set up a rural information network of 5 farmers’ information centres – or INFOPOPS – with a direct link to its headquarters in Kampala. These INFOPOPS hand in a request to Ndere troupe to develop a play on a problem such as the banana wilt bacteria. Ndere Troupe then develops the play and distributes the transcripts (text and video in general) electronically to the INFOPOPS (CDrom, DVD via normal postal services).

The INFOPOPS then channel the information via this drama play to rural communities in local languages.

Improve empowerment of rural populations and communities by promoting and supporting income generating capacity, awareness of public policy, health and environment related issues, through effective dissemination of information that is of immediate relevance to highly targeted and localised rural populations. ARRIN aims to exploit ICT to improve the process of collecting, processing and disseminating, and delivering thematic or topical information.

Read more about IICD’s Uganda Country Programme.

The project went trough a very difficult spell in 2004, 2005. In fact the project logic was too complex while fighting technology (Internet connectivity upcountry) was dominating the project for too long. In 2005 it was decided to close down 3 INFOPOPS and to focus less on the ICT technicalities of the project. This resulted into the survival of 5 INFOPOPS (though one is still shaky) plus the multi media facility at the Ndere centre itself

The goal of the project is to translate important messages (how to fight the banana wilt bacteria) to and from farmers into drama and then convey this message to a much wider audience with the help of electronic distribution through DVDs, CD-ROMs and the internet.

This project improves the awareness of populations and communities about public policy, health and environment related issues. This is done by promoting and supporting income generating capacity through effective dissemination of information that is of immediate relevance to highly targeted and localised rural populations. ARRIN aims to exploit ICT to improve the process of collecting, processing and disseminating, and delivering thematic or topical information.

Read more about IICD’s approach towards livelihoods.

Fighting technology should not be the main component of a project that involves Information and Communication Technologies for development (ICT4D). The project was derailed for about a year because of the heavy focus on internet connectivity. After returning to just the distribution of the DVDs the project started to move forward again.

The project targets 5 INFOPOPS (though one is still shaky) plus the multi media facility at the Ndere centre itself.