Message-ID: <Pine.3.88.9512131942.A6237-0100000@go> Date: Wed, 13 Dec 1995 19:30:18 -0600 From: Abubakr Alkhalifa <mailto:aalkhali@GO.CIS.USOUTHAL.EDU> Subject: (IT vs. Poverty) = (Let Them Eat "IT") ?! To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Hello Again;Thanks to all who read, shared their thoughts, and/or forwarded my previous posting on developing a prototype for a nutritional information system as an attempt to involve IT in fighting Poverty.
I would like to answer all the replies I have received on this topic so far, but let me start by one of the major issues against such an approach (i.e. IT vs. Poverty): "Why talk about computers in places where there is no food, not even basic drugs or shelter ?!" or in other words, this approach seems like what Mary Antoinette proposed for the hungry people of the French Revolution: Let them eat biscuits"
My counter argument is: "We (the people of the poor countries) can start applying such an approach by taking advantage of the computer hardware that is currently being used in our countries. Since their use of computer technology is widespread in rural and urban areas of developing countries, and since the proposed approach may become an effective tool for achieving their developmental goals, International organizations, NGOs, and GOs can serve as regional centers for the implementation of this approach. Moreover, the "obsolete hardware -- by western standards --" can be a perfect medium for implementing these information systems.
Other information systems may be developed under this umbrella to facilitate solutions to developmental problems, such as: * Diagnosis and Treatment of Tropical Diseases * Documentation and diffusion of Traditional Medicine * Agricultural Extension, Production, and Marketing * Education and Training * Communication and Dissemination of Information ....... to name a few."
My vision is that: once prototypes of such systems are developed and implemented, it may prove "profitable" to "invest" in distributing computer systems all over the developing world where these systems can be running.
A comment on the ongoing discussion around the Internet and Africa: "Lets start by applying the less expensive, traditional information systems to solve our problems; thats how the developed world started using IT. After that, if it proves "profitable", lets move to the more expensive, modern Internet".
Many Thanks To All of You.
mailto:aalkhali@cis.usouthal.edu Abubakr Alkhalifa Work: (205)459-1617 Home: (334)660-0242 Address: 612 Montclaire Way, Mobile, AL 36609