ICT Pathways to Poverty Reduction: Empirical evidence from East and Southern Africa

by Edith Ofwona Adera (Editor), Timothy M. Waema (Editor), Julian May (Editor)

Overview

This book provides new empirical evidence on access to and use of ICTs and their effect on poor households in East African and Southern African countries. It addresses the questions: Under what conditions do women benefit economically from using ICTs? How are the livelihoods of rural users affected? Which ICTs are being used by low-income entrepreneurs? ICT Pathways to Poverty Reduction presents a conceptual framework to analyse how poverty dynamics change over time and whether ICT access benefits the poor as well as the not-so-poor. The chapters contain case studies on how various forms of ICTs affect different aspects of poverty based on research in East and Southern African countries at the household level or among micro and small enterprises, concluding that ICTs make a difference to the livelihoods of the poor and contribute to reducing both financial and non-financial dimensions of poverty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781853398155
Publisher:	Practical Action Publishing
Publication date:	01/15/2014
Pages:	276
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Edith Ofwona Adera works at International Development Research Centre, Canada.

Timothy M. Waema teaches at the University of Nairobi.

Julian May is at the University of the Western Cape.

Ophelia Mascarenhas is an independent consultant.

Kathleen Diga teaches at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Table of Contents

1) Introduction: The ICT/Poverty nexus in Africa
2) Information and communication technologies as a pathway from poverty
3) Political Economy of ICTs and its Effects on Poverty
4) Livelihood and ICTs in East Africa
5) Access and use of Information and Communication Technology and its Contribution to Poverty Reduction in Kenya
6) Impact of Enhanced Access to ICTs on Small and Micro Enterprises in Tanzania
7) Mobile Phones and the Food Price Crisis in Rwanda
8) The complexities of establishing causality between an ICT intervention and changes in quality-of-life: CLIQ in South Africa
9) Internet gone mobile in Namibia
10) Conclusion and Recommendations

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

‘In a fascinating world of fast-changing information and communications, dramatic changes in poverty and myriad relationships among them, ICT Pathways to Poverty Reduction is a gem. Focusing on Eastern and Southern Africa, it provides a wise development of theoretical perspectives and analytical studies, together with a knowledge-rich tapestry of the hundreds of ways in which ICTs are used by poor people and others in reducing (or sometimes increasing) poverty. Key public priorities are analysed in depth, pointing to good regulation, which largely determines cost and access, investment in the national ICT infrastructure, investments in the development of poverty reducing and cost saving applications in governance and public services – notably education, health and security – and sufficient support for research and innovation. It is a must read for all interested in the changing global and local faces of economic, social and political life.’ Randy Spence is President, Economic and Social Development Affiliates, Canada ‘Challenges the conventional wisdom that access to ICT products is a solution to poverty. By viewing ICTs as a process, not a product, evidence from substantial research in Africa sheds light on the role of ICTs in the multi-dimensional process of poverty reduction.’ David J. Grimshaw is Visiting Professor in ICT4D at Royal Holloway, Universityof London.