Sub-Saharan Africa ICTs Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the World of Big Data: Towards Addressing the Global Information Technology Report 2014-2015 on the Networked Readiness Index

In this paper we specifically address a number of the recommendations suggested by The Global Information Technology Report 2014 & 2015 (GITR 2014 & GITR 2015) with respect to Sub-Saharan Africa countries slow progress in developing its ICT infrastructure within the current world of Big Data and ICT for inclusive growth; warning that if care is not taking in terms of improving the framework condition for innovation and entrepreneurship there could be a digital divide between the developed and developing economies. In addressing this possible digital divide, we proffered a solution through a model we developed recently at Elizade University for auditing ICT infrastructure projects in a developing economy. We isolated and fully analyzed the Sub-Saharan Africa data from the GITR 2014 report, and present our model in this paper. We argue that the model will address the specific shortcomings of the region in terms of strengthening its ICT infrastructure, and will improve the framework for innovation and entrepreneurship

Innovation perspectives in international development cooperation : the case of organised civil society

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are still in the side-lines of the emerging literature on innovation in international development cooperation, although the topic has been gaining prominence since the 2000s, accompanying the wider transformation of the development cooperation field. The present paper presents the results of a mixed methods research that involved a broad geographic sample of 20 NGO national co-ordinating bodies through an online survey and semi-structured interviews. The goal was to map and analyse innovation perspectives, motivations, and practices in these organisations, understand their relationship with mainstream views of innovation in the field and uncover their potential to promote inclusive innovation. Results suggest that these actors have potential to promote inclusive innovation practices in the field, since they approach innovation with social change as an end goal, as opposed to having an overly solutionist and problem-solving view of social innovation. The paper also highlights the key role of information and communications technologies, as well as digital tools, as both a reason to innovate and enablers of innovation in these organisations. Finally, the conclusion leaves questions open for further research on innovation in development NGOs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Energy Power, Digital Infrastructure and Elearning Platforms: Afrrican Experience.

Information and communication technologies are one of the most pervasive technologies in the world, second only to 'human intelligence' or the human brain. Thus, understanding the factors that determine the diffusion of new technologies across african countries is important to understanding the process of economic development. And whereas, energy is linked with the capacity to perform, the rate at which energy is consumed for the acceleration of the pace of socio-economic activities is regarded as power. Consequently, it will be obvious that the magnitude of the standard of living in any society; the growth and development of such an economy; and its ability to affect the course of events(such as ICT revolution)will be a function of the extent to which its energy(power) resources are developed and utilised. This paper therefore argued for the need to provide assistance in reducing vulnerability and building the capacity of african countries to more widely reap the benefits of the clean development mechanism in areas such as the development of cleaner and renewable energies. Inevitably, this is the critical condition for the sustainability of the emergent e-learning platforms and digital networks in africa.ICT, learning, elearning, development, energy, power, information, communication, solar, electricity, wind, governance, africa, electronics, telecommunications, internet, digital, satellite, renewable energy, gas turbine, power plants, bandwidth, coal, hydro, biomass, steam, transmission, distribution, utilisation

The nature and trends of agricultural research development in Africa : an informetric study

The study recognizes Agriculture as the mainstay activity of most economies in Africa and analyses research nature and trends in the discipline by using descriptive informetrics and focusing on seven indicators, by using the AGRICOLA and ISI-E databases from 1991 to 2005. We observed that research output in the discipline is much higher in South Africa and Kenya, and research collaboration is greater than non-collaborative research output and collaboration is less among African countries. The most popular research domains were found to exist in environmental science, soil science, plant/crop production and [agricultural] economics. Helpful conclusions and recommendations for an Agricultural policy, capacity and research orientation have been made

Introducing a model to improve recent Sub Saharan Africa networked readiness index

In this paper we specifically address a number of recent recommendations suggested by The Global Information Technology Reports 2013 - 2015 with respect to Sub-Saharan Africa countries slow progress in developing its ICT infrastructure within the current world of Big Data and ICT for inclusive growth; warning that if care is not taking in terms of improving the framework condition for innovation and entrepreneurship there could be a digital divide between the developed and developing economies. In addressing this possible digital divide, we proffered a solution through a model we developed recently at Elizade University for auditing ICT infrastructure projects in a developing economy. We isolated and fully analyzed the sub-Saharan Africa data from the two reports and present our model in this paper. We argue that the model will address the specific shortcomings of the region in terms of strengthening its ICT infrastructure, and will improve the framework for innovation and entrepreneurshi

“… by Seeking Help I Became Equipped, Skilled and Enlightened”: Ugandan Tutors’ Stories, Identities and Spaces for Professional Development in Teacher Colleges.

The title of this paper is taken from a story written by Norah Nakitto, a tutor at Jinja Primary Teachers’ College (PTC) in Uganda. Like a majority of stories generated during a storytelling research project with Ugandan tutors, Norah’s focuses on professi onal learning. In this paper we explore tutor learning and professional identity in the context of national programmes promoting more inclusive and equitable teaching at the primary level (MOES 2019, UNAPD 2019), which have an impact on how tutors are expe cted to work. We draw on an analysis of 39 stories from research led by the TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub - Saharan Africa) programme in collaboration with Kyambogo University. The study was initiated to understand the impact of a TESSA - MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on tutors’ practices. However, the early stages of the research suggested that, despite well - articulated examples of impact from those who had engaged with it, uptake in the Ugandan PTCs was limited; none of the tutors who participated in t he storytelling strand were aware of the MOOC. As these tutors worked in colleges where staff members had participated in a workshop to introduce the MOOC, this raised questions about knowledge - sharing. The research focus shifted to learning and collaboration in colleges to better understand the mechanisms for knowledge sharing, and the research design was adapted accordingly

ICT Update 77: Linking farmers to markets

ICT Update is a bimonthly printed and on-line magazine (http://ictupdate.cta.int) and an accompanying e-mail newsletter published by CTA. This issue focuses on linking the farmers to markets

Evolving an open e-governance index for network societies

The Open e-Governance Index (OeGI) is a framework for measuring open e-governance, developed and tested in four Asian countries in 2012. This report discusses the second phase of OeGI project, which examined whether the framework was applicable to countries outside Asia. It describes the concept and methodology of the OeGI and provides an overview of its use in Colombia, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Uganda. Open e-governance is about how state and non-state actors use information and communications technologies (ICTs) to steer society collectively. The OeGI project defines open e-governance as the presence of: • meshed e-government: the ability of government to provide integrated, citizencentric online services • e-participation channels: the existence of digital channels for public engagement that complement existing face-to-face or traditional media-led interactions • digital inclusion: the presence of policies and programmes that support the public’s wider use of ICTs for development • civil society use of ICTs: the use of ICTs by non-state actors to promote their interests in the public sphere • an open legal and policy ecosystem: the extent of access among the general public to information and knowledge, and government recognition of the right to free expression and rights over personal communication, cultural freedom and the use of local languages. This framework was used to assess e-governance in five countries. This revealed that while there is progress towards open e-governance, there are dimensions that need to be strengthened. For example, while there is a great demand for online participation among citizens, there are many policies and programmes that governments need to undertake before this can happen. Further, norms for transparency and accountability are critical in ensuring that national ICT systems can be used for political and socio-economic progress.DFIDSidaUSAIDOmidyar Networ