SYANGJA, Oct 19 - Farmers here in Mayatari VDC of Syangja have grown a curious interest. After a long day's labor, many farmers here spend time at the village Community Information Center surfing the information superhighway.

Jagat Bahadur KC, one among such farmers who has become fond of information technology lately, quips, "Though I am a farmer by occupation, how can I stay detached from information technology in this age?"

"We learn about each and every thing going on in our district by coming to the Center," another farmer Ganga Bahadur Gurung says, "All the more, the internet even provides information about the whole world." Gurung says that he travels for an hour everyday from his village Pelkachaur VDC to learn computer in Mapatari VDC.

These zealous farmers got the chance to be acquainted with computers only after Nepal Rural Information and Technology Society brought two computers to Mapatari for the purpose. Members of the society bought the pair of computers with the sum collected from Deusi and Bhailo during Tihar festival.

The center is also a sharing ground for local farmers. It provides space for sticking personalized notices so that farmers here won't have to worry about buying or selling their cattle, or even searching for farmhands. According to chairman of the society Sudip Aryal, the society has extended such community clubs also to Bagalthok, Karendada, Rangkhola, Bayaraghari, Bayatari villages of Syangja and Kaskikot, Dhital and Dang villages of Kaski district.

Although the center also serves as a library where farmers can flip through newspapers, the center charges a nominal Rs 10 per hour to everyone interested in using the internet. Following the club's popularity, it has been receiving pressure from farmers in other neighboring villages, requesting extension of such services to their own villages.

Source: Kathmandu post (National Daily of Nepal)
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=126063

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is assisting Nepal in combating corruption by strengthening the capacity of concerned government institutions in fulfilling their respective mandates. The assistance is in line with the objectives outlined in the economic development plan of the impoverished South Asian nation.

“Good governance and strong institutions are central requirements for poverty reduction and economic growth. Effective anticorruption measures are at the core of good governance, as corruption erodes confidence in public institutions, depresses investment, slows development, and worsens poverty,” said Gambhir Bhatta, senior governance specialist of ADB’s South Asia Department.

The Technical Assistance to Nepal for Support to Anticorruption Institutions promotes good governance through stronger action against corruption in the public sector and greater accountability and transparency in government operations and service delivery. By reducing corruption and improving governance, ADB and Nepal hope to contribute to economic growth, poverty reduction and better development outcomes in the country.

ADB will provide a $400,000 grant for the project, estimated to cost $475,000. The government will cover the balance.

Improving governance and anticorruption practices is especially important for Nepal in its quest for sustainable development as outlined in the country’s Tenth Plan. With per capita income of about $311 a year and poverty incidence of 38%, Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world.

In 2007, Nepal was also perceived to be the 131st most corrupt country among the 179 included in the cross-country database compiled by Transparency International. Public expectations of how government officials should behave and how they should address the needs of the masses have risen considerably. A renewed focus on effectively addressing the corruption problem has accompanied these rising expectations.

The government has identified five institutions for the project. The first is the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse and Authority. The second is the Special Court, which prosecutes corruption cases. The third, National Vigilance Centre, primarily monitors asset declarations of public officials. The fourth is the Office of the Auditor General, a constitutional body that conducts independent audits and evaluations of public resource use and promotes and upholds public accountability. The fifth institution is the Public Accounts Committee, a select committee of the House of Representatives that examines the Public Accounts and the Report of the Auditor General to reduce misuse and abuse of public funds.

“These institutions play an important role in curbing corruption in Nepal. However, considerable work is required to improve their capacity, professionalism and outreach,” said Mr. Bhatta.

Source:http://www.adb.org

A Community Information Center (CIC) was established in Manakamana VDC, Metha Bhurum of Syangja District on 5th October 2007. This happened with the support and initiation of Nepal Rural Information Technology Development Society (NRIDS) and active participation of the local people of Manakamana VDC, Metha Bhurum in Syangja. This center provides the basic functionalities of a library, Local Information center, and the meeting point of the people for various discussions and decision making. As NRIDS motto goes "For the Community by the Community and with the Community" CIC Metha Bhurum is established and it is running smoothly as Local Information Center. Here, Major daily newspapers like Kantipur, Gorkhapatra and Weekly, monthly newspapers are also available which the contribution from the Local people themselves was. Also the Villagers paste their notices on the notice board for advertisement of their production, services and goods. For example if a villager has to sell a buffalo then he comes to the CIC and makes the CIC volunteer to paste that news in the notice board.
In the capacity of NRIDS President (Mr.Sudip Aryal) presented the ideas of CIC.NRIDS expects that this CIC will turn to be a success in transforming Village with ICTs. This CIC has also decided to make village profile and Old People Experience book in near coming future. In this CIC the Technical research unit is also formed for the village technological advancement.

http://www.apdip.net/news/ict4dm

This e-primer introduces policy makers and development practitioners to the application of different information and communications technology (ICT) for disaster management, with case studies from the Asia-Pacific region. A key conclusion is that the effectiveness of ICTs in reducing disaster risks depends on how these ICTs are used. The use of ICTs in disaster management should not be seen as a choice between one type of technology over another. A multiplicity of communication channels and technologies exist, and each can be suitable in a particular situation. The challenge is to identify suitable combinations of technologies.

The channels used for warning communities of impending disasters are explored such as radio, television, telephones and the Internet. Software and database systems that have contributed towards saving lives are featured. This e-primer also looks at the importance of geographical information system and remote sensing tools in creating simulation models for preparedness planning, and in mapping recovery efforts.

This publication is part of the APDIP e-Primer Series for the Information Economy, Society and Polity, which details the concepts, issues and trends in this field. The Series is intended to raise awareness and help policy makers and planners understand the relevance of ICT for development by explaining applications in straightforward terms.

This e-primer is jointly produced by UNDP Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (http://www.apdip.net) and the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (http://unapcict.org).


SOURCE: http://www.apdip.net/news/ict4dm

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