Community Informatics in India: Opportunities and Challenges

Community Informatics in India: Community Informatics in India: Opportunities and ChallengesOpportunities and Challenges

Madanmohan RaoMadanmohan RaoConsultant, MicrolandConsultant, Microland

Bangalore, INDIABangalore, [email protected]@microland.net

The e-services company

The Eight Cs of the The Eight Cs of the Internet EconomyInternet Economy

ConnectivityConnectivity ContentContent CommunityCommunity CommerceCommerce CapacityCapacity CultureCulture CooperationCooperation CapitalCapital


India Internet User SurveyIndia Internet User Survey

Gartner Group (www.gartner.com)Gartner Group (www.gartner.com) 3,000 families, 7 cities3,000 families, 7 cities June-July 2000June-July 2000 1,260 interviews1,260 interviews

Regular user: Accesses the Internet at least one Regular user: Accesses the Internet at least one hour each weekhour each week


User BaseUser Base

3.1 million regular Internet users3.1 million regular Internet users Fastest growing Internet market in Asia-Pacific Fastest growing Internet market in Asia-Pacific No. 6 in Asia-Pacific (after Japan, China, Korea, No. 6 in Asia-Pacific (after Japan, China, Korea,

Australia, Taiwan)Australia, Taiwan)


User BehaviourUser Behaviour

60 per cent of usage is from cybercafes60 per cent of usage is from cybercafes 11 per cent visit Indian language sites (Hindi, 11 per cent visit Indian language sites (Hindi,

Tamil)Tamil) 2.2 per cent have bought something online2.2 per cent have bought something online Awareness: word of mouth, articles, print/TV Awareness: word of mouth, articles, print/TV

ads, hoardings, banner adsads, hoardings, banner ads


User BehaviourUser Behaviour

By 2003, average spending online per user will By 2003, average spending online per user will be Rs.1,200/-be Rs.1,200/-

Local sites will be popularLocal sites will be popular Business-to-business (B2B) activity will increaseBusiness-to-business (B2B) activity will increase NRIs, trade, exports will be big marketsNRIs, trade, exports will be big markets


Recent DevelopmentsRecent Developments

IT Act 2000 passed on October 18, 2000IT Act 2000 passed on October 18, 2000 AidMatrix launched for businesses, charitiesAidMatrix launched for businesses, charities Yahoo, Lycos, MicrosoftNetwork launch in IndiaYahoo, Lycos, MicrosoftNetwork launch in India CineXchange.com, LeatherXchange.com launch CineXchange.com, LeatherXchange.com launch

in Indiain India AgencyFAQs, India Internet Advertising bureau AgencyFAQs, India Internet Advertising bureau

launchedlaunched


Other Promising MediaOther Promising Media

Radio: community radioRadio: community radio TV: Digital broadcast (WorldSpace)TV: Digital broadcast (WorldSpace) New devices: SimputerNew devices: Simputer


“In Sri Lanka, we are using a community radio station in Kotmale to find information on the Internet, which readers ask for via phone or post. This helps villagers to get access to the information superhighway too.”

Michael J.R. David

University of Colombo





The Internet and Local Communities: The Internet and Local Communities: Key DriversKey Drivers

Local urban non-profit organisationsLocal urban non-profit organisations Local rural non-profit organisationsLocal rural non-profit organisations Local urban for-profit cybercafesLocal urban for-profit cybercafes Project-based initiatives of remote organisations Project-based initiatives of remote organisations

(Indian, expat)(Indian, expat)


Centre for Education and Centre for Education and Documentation: Bombay, BangaloreDocumentation: Bombay, Bangalore

Print/video/online documentationPrint/video/online documentation Focus: local environment, gender, development, Focus: local environment, gender, development,

disaster management, healthcaredisaster management, healthcare Languages: English, KannadaLanguages: English, Kannada Services: press clippings, videos, books; Services: press clippings, videos, books;

photocopiers, scanners, email accessphotocopiers, scanners, email access Intranet, mailing lists; LinuxIntranet, mailing lists; Linux


Centre for Education and Centre for Education and Documentation Documentation (www.doc-centre.org)(www.doc-centre.org)

Target audience: local + remote; students, Target audience: local + remote; students, professionals, activistsprofessionals, activists

Workshops, seminars: process documentation, Workshops, seminars: process documentation, information managementinformation management

Challenges: Right to Information, staffing, Challenges: Right to Information, staffing, digitisation digitisation




M.S.Swaminathan Research M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (www.mssrf.org)Foundation (www.mssrf.org)

BioVillages: EcoTechnology CentresBioVillages: EcoTechnology Centres– Agricultural know-how, pest control, news, pricing Agricultural know-how, pest control, news, pricing

informationinformation InfoVillages/Knowledge CentresInfoVillages/Knowledge Centres

– Information: pricing, transportation, weather alertsInformation: pricing, transportation, weather alerts– Healthcare, insurance, child diseases, nutritionHealthcare, insurance, child diseases, nutrition– Resources: training skills, government schemesResources: training skills, government schemes– BioenergyBioenergy


InfoVillages/Knowledge Centres: InfoVillages/Knowledge Centres: Pondicherry DistrictPondicherry District

Volunteer-drivenVolunteer-driven Data gathering, dissemination; blending of Data gathering, dissemination; blending of

existing media channelsexisting media channels Languages: English, TamilLanguages: English, Tamil Pentium PC, deskjet printer, Windows 95, VHF Pentium PC, deskjet printer, Windows 95, VHF

wireless modems (Motorola)wireless modems (Motorola)



Commercial Urban CentresCommercial Urban Centres

Phone centresPhone centres Photocopy shopsPhotocopy shops CybercafesCybercafes

– Education, research, employmentEducation, research, employment– Communicating with expatsCommunicating with expats– Special training (eg. handicapped)Special training (eg. handicapped)– Recreation, sociabilityRecreation, sociability


CybercafesCybercafes

– Local e-commerceLocal e-commerce– Web solutions businessesWeb solutions businesses– Youth hangoutsYouth hangouts– TouristsTourists




Project-based InitiativesProject-based Initiatives

Activist organisations based elsewhereActivist organisations based elsewhere Mobilisation during natural disasters, calamitiesMobilisation during natural disasters, calamities Focus on fund-raising, disaster reliefFocus on fund-raising, disaster relief Well-networked, effective marketingWell-networked, effective marketing





Other Upcoming Initiatives Other Upcoming Initiatives

VOICES (Bangalore)VOICES (Bangalore)– Internet and community centres for the disabledInternet and community centres for the disabled

World-Tel.com World-Tel.com – Community centres, leased lines (based on Peruvian Community centres, leased lines (based on Peruvian

Scientific Network model)Scientific Network model)


Challenges and OpportunitiesChallenges and Opportunities

ChallengesChallenges– Access, affordability, awareness, local language Access, affordability, awareness, local language

tools, cultural issues (“right to information”)tools, cultural issues (“right to information”) Opportunities, StrengthsOpportunities, Strengths

– Strong in IT skills, popular in urban imagination, Strong in IT skills, popular in urban imagination, strong support of expatriate Indians, democratic strong support of expatriate Indians, democratic cultureculture


ResourcesResources

BooksBooks– Community Informatics, by Michael GursteinCommunity Informatics, by Michael Gurstein

SitesSites– INOMY.comINOMY.com– www.mssrf.orgwww.mssrf.org– www.doc-centre.orgwww.doc-centre.org– www.panasia.org.sgwww.panasia.org.sg


[email protected]@[email protected]@hotmail.com

Documents

Community Informatics in India: Opportunities and Challenges