A technician setting up a satellite receiver for Macha Works / Macha Works
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly important in achieving development goals and promoting citizen participation. Zambia is one of a number of countries in the Southern African region that have sought to include ICTs in their national development plans. This policy brief summarises a review of the successes and failures of this approach in Zambia, and considers the next steps that are needed to meet the information and communication needs of the coming generation.
ICTs have received growing attention in recent years from development practitioners, policymakers, government officials and civil society organisations in Southern Africa. They are believed to contribute to improving development outcomes in two main ways:
- ICT-based knowledge and products contribute directly to wealth creation
- the use of ICTs contributes indirectly to national development through its impact in social and economic sectors such as agriculture, health and education, and by empowering individuals to take advantage of new opportunities.
Individuals also benefit from the availability and use of ICTs in a number of ways – for example, by substituting phone calls for travel, which saves time and money, and by using ICTs to obtain information on prices, for their own produce and for purchases.
In these various ways, ICTs can have a significant impact on a country’s ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
There are, however, also constraints on the potential impact of ICTs in many developing countries. These constraints include inadequate technical infrastructure, limited human skills to use available networks and services, the relatively high cost of communications equipment, and poor policy and regulatory environments. These factors reduce the scope for countries and communities to realise the potential of ICTs for development (ICT4D), and may even increase exclusion and marginalisation. The difference between access to and use of ICTs in urban and rural areas, and between prosperous and poor members of society – often called the ‘digital divide’ – has been of particular concern.
Maendeleo ya teknolojia ya habari na mawasiliano (ICT) ni muhimu zaidi katika kufikia malengo ya maendeleo na kukuza ushiriki wa raia. Zambia ni mojawapo ya nchi kadhaa katika eneo la Afrika Kusini ambazo zimejitahidi kuingiza teknolojia ya mawasiliano na mawasiliano katika mipango yao ya maendeleo ya kitaifa. Taarifa hii ya sera ina muhtasari wa mafanikio na kushindwa kwa mbinu hii nchini Zambia, na inachunguza hatua zifuatazo zinazohitajika ili kukidhi mahitaji ya habari na mawasiliano ya kizazi kinachofuata. Teknolojia ya mawasiliano na mawasiliano (ICT) imekuwa ikijulikana sana katika miaka ya hivi karibuni na watengenezaji wa maendeleo, watunga sera, maafisa wa serikali na mashirika ya jamii ya kiraia katika Afrika Kusini. "Kuna maoni kwamba teknolojia hii inachangia maendeleo kwa njia mbili kuu: maarifa na bidhaa zinazotokana na teknolojia ya mawasiliano ya mawasiliano ya mawasiliano (ICT) huchangia moja kwa moja uundaji wa utajiri, na matumizi ya teknolojia ya mawasiliano ya mawasiliano ya mawasiliano (ICT) huchangia maendeleo ya kitaifa kwa njia ya athari zake katika sekta za kijamii na kiuchumi kama vile kilimo, afya na elimu, na kwa kuwezesha watu kutumia fursa mpya.""" Watu binafsi pia wananufaika na upatikanaji na matumizi ya ICT kwa njia kadhaa - kwa mfano, kwa kuchukua nafasi ya simu kwa ajili ya kusafiri, ambayo huokoa muda na fedha, na kwa kutumia ICT kupata habari juu ya bei, kwa ajili ya mazao yao wenyewe na kwa ajili ya ununuzi. Kwa njia hizi mbalimbali, ICT inaweza kuwa na athari kubwa juu ya uwezo wa nchi kufikia Malengo ya Maendeleo ya Milenia (MDGs). Hata hivyo, kuna pia vikwazo juu ya athari ya uwezekano wa ICT katika nchi nyingi zinazoendelea. Vizuizi hivi ni pamoja na miundombinu ya kiufundi isiyofaa, ujuzi mdogo wa kibinadamu wa kutumia mitandao na huduma zinazopatikana, gharama ya juu ya vifaa vya mawasiliano, na mazingira duni ya sera na udhibiti. "Vitu hivi hupunguza nafasi kwa nchi na jamii za kutambua uwezo wa ICT kwa ajili ya maendeleo (ICT4D) na inaweza hata kuongeza kutengwa na marginalization. """ Tofauti kati ya upatikanaji na matumizi ya ICT katika maeneo ya mijini na vijijini, na kati ya watu matajiri na maskini wa jamii - mara nyingi huitwa "tofauti ya dijiti" - imekuwa ya wasiwasi hasa.