One of the two videos of the study visit of the African Delegates organised by CTA in the Indian provinces of Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal and Delhi from 29 November 2009 to 8 December.
Supported by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), the ground-breaking initiative, whose theme is “Social and Economic Development using Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs)”, aimed at enhancing participants’ knowledge on how India has harnessed ICT to promote its overall growth.
The last day of the visit to India by a high-level Africa delegation concluded in New Delhi on December 8, 2009. The delegation not only acquired a first hand knowledge about ICT initiatives put in place by various provincial governments by visiting CSCs in the Indian provinces of Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal, but also had an opportunity to interact with a wide range of policy makers, civil society leaders and officials of public and private enterprises, including those who spearhead the telecentre movement in the country.
The high-level African delegation, which is on its last leg of its India study visit, on Monday participated in seminar which deliberated upon the role of government in ICT for development. The seminar opened with the introductory remarks of Mr Koda Traoré, ICT4D Programme Coordinator, on behalf of Dr Hansjörg Neun, Director, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). In his address, Mr Traoré said that African Leaders, within the framework of the New Partnership of Development of Africa (NEPAD are in the process of harmonising their Policy and Regulatory Framework and are working toward investing in ICT infrastructure for better Governance and improved socio-economic performances.
The African delegation had a rare opportunity of listening to a foremost disaster management expert on Sunday, when Prof N Vinod Chandra Menon, member of India’s statutory National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) shared his views on exploiting advances in ICT for disaster communication.
ICT is the only efficient vehicle that can take the message to people in the times of disasters. During disasters, it is very important that the affected community receive the right information. This will help the local community can get into action swiftly. When a disaster strikes it is very important that people help each other, as waiting for external assistance will always lead to higher loss of human lives and property, he said. If the right message is available, many tragedies can be averted, he opined.
Prof. Menon informed that the delegation that NDMA is proposing to use CSCs, which are being set up in different provinces in the country, for spreading disaster preparedness and emergency response awareness among the communities.
