Digital Networks and Sustainability: Do we need the Government?

摘要

The role of information in promoting development has been well researched and documented, and there has been much interest in harnessing ICT (Information and Communication Technology) for this purpose. The dynamics of this transfer and its overall effectiveness depends on social capital and how the synergies generated by it can impact the co-ordination between member-nodes. In this paper, we seek to understand this synergy in the context of ICT implementation efforts in rural India. The sustenance of a digital network depends on co-operation between member-nodes of the network. In the beginning, the Government undertakes an active role in financing and setting up projects as well as playing a regulatory role, with the expectation that in time the network will become capable of functioning without Central support. A review of current ICT interventions indicates the opposite. We propose that adopting a more community centric design for these interventions can improve their sustainability and lead to the evolution of a more complex and multi functional ICT enabled socio-technical system. In this perspective, we present the concept of digital ecosystems (DE) as potential conduit of ICT to the masses.. The merits of this approach are examined and the role of the Government in building this system is described. We conclude by presenting the case of the DEAL (Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture and Livelihood) project, a rural development initiative in agriculture in Northern India.