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IDRC features LIRNEasia Lead Economist in its annual report
Lead Economist, Harsha de Silva and the AgInfo work that he has been leading at LIRNEasia has been featured in the International Development Research Centre’s (IDRC) 2008-2009 Annual Report. Read the full feature here (page 16)
LIRNEasia CEO among top three contenders for Bastiat Prize for Online Journalism
Rohan Samarajiva is among three finalists for the the first Bastiat Prize for Online Journalism. samarajiva was nominated for his Lanka Business Online column “Choices” The Bastiat Prize is awarded by the International Policy Network, a London-based think tank that seeks to improve public understanding of the role of the institutions of the free society.
The Bastiat Prize (for journalism) was first awarded in 2002 and judges have included Lady Thatcher and Nobel-Prize-winners James Buchanan and Milton Friedman. The prize was developed to encourage and reward writers whose published works promote the institutions of a free society: limited government, rule of law brokered by an independent judiciary, protection of private property, free markets, free speech, and sound science. This is the first time that a seperate category for online journalism is being awarded.
Other finalists for the 2009 Prize for Online Journalism are Shikha Dalmia (Forbes.com, Reason Foundation) and Daniel Hannan (Telegraph.co.uk blog).
Winners will be announced at the annual Bastiat Prize Dinner in New York City on 26 October, featuring journalist/author P.J. O’Rourke as the keynote speaker. “P.J. O’Rourke, one of Bastiat’s true spiritual successors, sets a high bar,” said IPN Executive Director, Julian Morris, “But the finalists ..read more
Teleuse@BOP migrant study findings released in Dhaka
LIRNEasia’s recent research on ICT use and remittances among migrant workers was released in Dhaka on 28 June 2009.
The study of over 1,500 domestic and overseas migrant workers in six Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka) has yielded some interesting insights in Bangladesh, with important policy implications.
Demand for communication among Bangaldeshi migrants surveyed was particularly high compared to the other countries surveyed; a significant number of overseas migrants even used the Internet to call home. Bangladeshi migrants were sending home around half of their salaries on average, mostly through banks, and hand-carried in cash. Mobiles play a key role in coordinating remittances; a small number of overseas migrants were even sending money home through their mobiles.
These findings as well as the important policy implications (e.g. on IPLC policy, as well as mobile payments policy) were elaborated on by Dr. Rohan Samarajiva, LIRNEasia Chair and CEO at the event. The presentation sides can be downloaded here.
The migrant study is a part of a large multi-country survey of telecom use at the bottom of the pyramid, Teleuse@BOP3. Teleuse@BOP is conducted by LIRNEasia every two years. The study looks at how the lowest socioeconomic ..read more
LIRNEasia Lead Economist appointed to scientific advisory committee eARN Africa
LIRNEasia Lead Economist Harsha de Silva was recently appointed to a five-member Scientific Advisory committee for a two-year multi-country African research project, eAgriculture Network for Africa (eARN Africa): Effectiveness of Electronic-Based Interventions in Linking African Farmers to Markets. The project aims study the effectiveness of ICT-based intervention in linking African farmers to markets so as to inform policy decisions of African governments and stakeholders aimed at improving livelihood of smallholder farmers.
The project is funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada; an inception meeting was recently held in Kampala, Uganda, which Harsha de Silva attended. The project will be conducted in six African countries: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Ghana, Benin, and Madagascar.
The Scientific Advisory Committee constitutes:
Prof. Chris Ackello-Ogutu, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya Prof. Julian May, School of Development Studies, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa Dr. Colin Poulton, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Dr. Adrian Mukhebi, CEO Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange and Market Economist, Nairobi Dr Harsha M. De Silva, Lead Economist, LIRNEasiHarsha leads the agriculture-focused research at LIRNEasia, including a study on the impact of ICTs on transaction costs in agricultural markets in 2007.
LIRNEasia Chair and CEO awarded ICA 2009 “Communication Research as an Agent of Change Award”
Rohan Samarajiva, Chair and CEO of LIRNEasia was awarded the prestigious 2009 “Communication Research as an Agent of Change Award” by the International Communication Association (ICA) at the 59th Annual conference of the ICA on 23 May 2009, in Chicago, USA.
The award honors one person each year whose work has had a demonstrable impact on practice outside the academy, with clear benefits to the community.
The award was presented to him by Patrice M. Buzzanell, President of the International Communication Association.
At the ceremony a brief statement about his accomplishments and the ways his work has had sustainable social benefits was presented by the ICA:
“Dr. Rohan Samarajiva has co-edited a volume, ICT Infrastructure in Emerging Asia: Policy and Regulatory Roadblocks, that exemplifies the intention of this award, i.e., to show ways in which a significant engagement with research can influence communication change. This work highlights a very important but often under-researched region focusing on five Aisan countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka… A central thread underpinning all the viewpoints provided in the book is that technology itself cannot improve access to ..read more
Mobiles, the developing world path to the Internet?
Teleuse@BOP3, LIRNEasia’s six country study has shown that between 2006 and 2008 there has been significant uptake of mobiles by the BOP in emerging Asia. Access to computers on the other hand (see here for numbers) in these countries at the BOP is minimal. Together with the increasing capabilities of mobiles to deliver an array of services, which essentially boil down to what you can do on the Internet (information publication and retrieval, transactions, etc) this means that much of the BOP will have their first Internet experience through a mobile.
The current issue of Nokia’s Expanding Horizons quarterly magazine highlights LIRNEasia’s Teleuse@BOP3 study findings from India, illustrating this point.
Mobiles are now the most common form of communication, pushing public phones into second place… The rapid evolution of the mobile into a multi-purpose communications and knowledge tool combined with its fast adoption by the BOP, means they and the majority of people in the developing world are likely to have their first Internet experience via a mobile.
Although use of “Mobile 2.0” services such as payments and e-government services is low, these are the ‘doors’ through which people are likely to enter these services. Governments and ..read more
Research Influences Public Policy and Decision-Making – Book Launch
Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 21, 2009 – H.E. Ms Angela Bogdan, High Commissioner for Canada, will be officially launching the book on “Knowledge to Policy: Making the Most of Development Research, copublished by Sage and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The book is authored by Fred Carden, Director of Evaluation at IDRC. The launch of the book will take place in Colombo on: Date: Monday, April 27, 2009 Time: 1130 – 1300 hrs Where: Dukes Court 2, Hotel Trans Asia, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Does research influence public policy and decision-making and, if so, how? This book seeks to address this question by investigating the effects of research in the field of international development. It facilitates a sophisticated understanding of how research influences public policy and decision-making. It shows how research can contribute to better governance in at least three ways: by encouraging open inquiry and debate; by empowering people with the knowledge to hold governments accountable; and by enlarging the array of policy options and solutions available to the policy process.
The launch is open to the media. Journalists are encouraged to register by calling Mr J Samaranayake, SLEvA Council Member at: 94 11 236 5521 and Mobile # 0777365533.
About IDRC Canada’s International Development Research ..read more
Inclusive growth with mobiles: Findings from the BOP
Just five years ago, the Indian telecom industry’s massive momentum barely included the poor. The country had slightly over seven access paths (fixed and mobile connections) per 100 people, but in rural India 100 people were served by only 1.5 access paths. Even in urban India, the poor were unconnected.
But now, the picture is different. Last October, Minister A. Raja stated that there were 11 access paths per 100 rural inhabitants, compared to 30 for urbanites. Massive progress has been achieved, but is it making an impact at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP)?
LIRNEasia’s Teleuse@BOP3 study has yielded some intriguing answers.
Forty five percent of Indian BOP teleuser households had a phone in late 2008. Thirty seven percent had a mobile only; five percent had a fixed phone only; three percent had both. This is massive progress from the 19 percent of BOP homes with a phone just two years ago.
In 2006, public phones of various kinds were the most frequently used; of the BOP teleusers, 71 percent relied on them. By 2008, 36 percent said “my own mobile” was the most frequently used mode, over the 33 percent using public phones.
India’s urban-rural telecom gap?
An AFP story published today talks about the Indian boom in mobile connections, despite all round economic gloom: a record 15m new connections were added in India in January 2009 according to the article.
India’s “mobile revolution” is still mainly seen in the cities, but the real prize for phone companies is the vast rural market, where nearly 70 percent of the 1.1-billion-strong population live, analysts say.
By the end of January, 34.5 percent of the population owned a telephone, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said.
But those figures distort the picture, with 66 percent of people in cities owning a phone compared to around nine percent in rural areas, says Frost & Sullivan.
“The next addition of subscribers will come from rural regions,” said consultant Trivedi. The government calls the rural market the “next accelerator” for mobile growth.
LIRNEasia’s findings from a recent 3,000 sample-strong demand side study of telecom show that in fact at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) between September 2007 and 2008, India’s rural BOP actually did add more connections than their urban counterparts, with 27% of rural BOP mobile owners (or 11% of all rural BOP teleusers) getting connected versus 19% of urban BOP mobile owners (8% ..read more
DoT, BSNL in MoU for rural reach
The Business Standard, 27 January 2009
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to provide wireless broadband in rural areas.
Under the MoU, BSNL will provide wireless broadband at 29,000 rural exchanges throughout the country. Each exchange will have 31 connections along with one kiosk for public use. A DoT official said, “Out of these 31 connections, 6 will be used by institutions like schools, while the rest will be for individual users.”
The implementation of the entire project is expected to be completed by 2011. Currently, there are over 5.45 million broadband subscribers in the country. This move comes as a catalyst in the government’s aim to reach 20 million broadband subscribers by 2010.
The DoT is planning to provide funds worth around Rs 1,800 crore to BSNL for its various activities. According to sources close to the development, approximately Rs 700 crore are being provided for upgrade of the 2,700 BSNL exchanges across the country for provisioning of wireline broadband, Rs 700 crore for kiosks and Rs 400 crore for computers.
However, private telecom operators have opposed the extra funds being allotted to BSNL from the Universal Service ..read more
Mobile 2.0: Beyond Voice? Draft program available
Preconference workshop at the 2009 conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) | 20-21 May 2009, Chicago, Illinois, USA
The draft program for this one-and-a-half day preconference is now available. Twenty five papers were selected through a peer-reviewed process; papers based on research in 15 countries in five continents in on various aspects of mobile usage will be presented. Registration can be completed through the ICA conference website.
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