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Africa, Areas of Expertise, Economic Growth, Information and Communication Technology for Development, Where we work

Massive New Submarine Cable to Bring High-Speed Broadband Access to West Africa

Bandwidth problems in West Africa may soon become a thing of the past when the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) broadband submarine cable comes online this December. The US$700 million will interconnect a total of 23 countries in Europe and West Africa, including two Integra and GBI clients, Nigeria and Ghana. This massive infrastructure project aims to bring high-speed broadband internet to these developing countries in order to reduce the digital divide and serve as “a vector of social development and economic growth in Africa.”

Led by the France Telecom company, this broadband system will extend over 17,000 km to from Brittany in France to Cape Town in South Africa. Parts of Europe and 16 West African countries will be interconnected by the submarine cable. Connectivity will extend even to the landlocked nations of Mali and Niger who will be connected via their own terrestrial links.

The cable itself has an initial 1.92 terabytes per second (Tb/s) capacity that can be upgraded to a whopping 5.12 Tb/s. ACE will use cutting edge fiber optic technology developed by Alcatel-Lucent that offers a higher quality of high-speed broadband than satellite at a lower cost. Utilizing new wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM)technology, the ACE stations can be upgraded without any actual modifications to the cable itself. This is a significant increase in the broadband capacity for these countries. Gambia for example, is estimated to have an increase in capacity by a factor of 16.

Increasing bandwidth capacity is crucial for enabling increased broadband penetration rates within a county. In 2011, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development issued a report that identified broadband as a “tool of unprecedented power” in helping countries meet the millennial development goals in 2015. Additionally, a report from the World Bank showed that a 10% increase in broadband penetration in developing economies correlates with a 1.38% contribution to economic growth. With ACE online, West Africa will be able to access a plethora of new opportunities.

June 25, 2012/by actualize

Areas of Expertise, Information and Communication Technology for Development

ICT Indaba 2012: Africa’s Agenda for ICT Growth

Deputy President Motlanthe addresses audience at ICT Indaba 2012, held at the Cape Town International Convention Center, June 4-7, 2012

Photo Credit: Republic of South Africa

The South African Department of Communications in partner with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), hosted the inaugural ICT Indaba 2012 conference June 4-7, 2012 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa.

The 2012 ICT Indaba showcased how South Africa’s strong ICT infrastructure can benefit strategic sectors of the African economy such as education, healthcare, infrastructure and extractive industries. With a strong focus on socioeconomic development and job creation, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe reminded attendees that on average, a 10% increase in broadband connectivity for developing country leads to a 1.4% increase in GDP. Furthermore, international delegates and ICT industry leaders stressed the importance of developing and implementing an ICT strategy, to act as a catalyst for the other African economies.

The conference gathered international stakeholders to create a continental agenda to expand the growth of the ICT sector, and establish a networking platform for like-minded industry leaders. Expected to run annually for the next five years, the ICT Indaba will be used to discuss ICT policies geared towards poverty reduction and the creation of a knowledge based economy across the continent. This year, four speakers from Rwanda, China, Cuba and India presented papers on different development models for ICT industry. Additional keynote speakers included but were not limited to the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma; Deputy Secretary General of the ITU, Mr. Houlin Zhao; Lead ICT Policy Specialist of the World Bank, Dr. Tim Kelly; and Managing Director of Microsoft South Africa, Mr. Mteto Nyati.

Taking a collaborative approach to ICT development and welcoming relations between countries and regions, African leaders aim to fast track their policies for increasing broadband access across the continent. Using a theme entitled “Bridging the Digital Divide”, a target was set by the Ministries involved to have 80% of the African population online by the year 2020. Speakers stressed the importance of using sustainable, affordable green technologies to foster socioeconomic development throughout the continent. The need to reach rural areas was discussed as well, by presenters like Motlanthe who stated, “We must also not forget that 55% of the Africans live in rural areas. As a result, it is our responsibility to ensure that they are integrated into the Knowledge-based society”.

Not without its challenges, one obstacle to ICT development addressed during the conference was the comparatively high price of broadband. Acknowledging this obstacle, new licensing plans have been enacted in order to increase competition in the data market, decreasing prices and making access more affordable. As South African Communications Minister Dina Pule stated, “These Internet Service Providers (ISPs) big and small are also expected to offer affordable broadband services to poor South Africa’s and people living in rural areas”. On a regionally wide scale, five more undersea cables to be constructed by 2014 will also reduce costs associated with universal access.

In addition to setting the 80% broadband penetration target, a team will also be set up to monitor the implementation of Indaba’s resolutions. While simultaneously serving broader development objectives, such as attaining the Millennium Development Goals, the ICT Indaba created a forum through which the continent can openly discuss and subsequently address, complex issues surrounding ICT strategies. The declaration prepared by the Ministries involved also reaffirms Africa’s commitment to ICT for development, and the ongoing implementation of ICT polices already in effect. Given the large amount of stakeholders that attended the inaugural conference, it will be interesting to see how Africa’s progress takes shape in the years to come.

June 12, 2012/by actualize

Environment, Originally posted on the GBI Portal, Water

Free and Handy Water Quality App Debuts in South Africa

SciDev.Net reports the success of a mobile phone application that can be used by low-cost feature phones to monitor local water quality via SMS. The Water Quality Reporter (WQR) can be used to check microbiological contamination, and carry out residual chlorine and hydrogen sulphide tests.

The application was developed using open source programming and iCOMMS software, iCOMMS is part of the University of Cape Town. This team has also developed mechanisms for integrating water quality results into existing information systems.

iCOMMS wishes to expand the application, which is available for download at their site, into the greater network of water treatment processes.

April 10, 2012/by actualize

Agriculture, Environment, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Africa Monitoring System (AMS) for Sustainable Food Security

Photo Credit: TV Pro Gear

An initiative being co-led by Conservation International (CI), the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa and the Earth Institute (EI), Columbia University, has been launched with a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Africa Monitoring System (AMS) tool will track, monitor and diagnose agricultural productivity, ecosystem health, and human well-being in African landscapes with near real-time data to better understand the opportunities and trade-offs of increased agricultural production. The system will provide tools to ensure that agricultural development does not degrade natural systems and the services they provide, especially for smallholder farmers.

The three-year $10 million dollar grant was announced by the co-chair of the foundation, Bill Gates in Rome at the 35^th Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) held in February. The grant lays the foundation for a new integrated monitoring system in five regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, Ghana, Ethiopia, and two other countries to be determined, where agricultural intensification is targeted to meet the needs of Africa’s growing population.

Dr. Sandy Andelman, a vice president of Conservation International who will serve as Africa Monitoring System executive director said, “We face this enormous challenge that boils down to this key question: How are we going to feed nine billion people on the planet without destroying nature, especially in the face of climate change which in itself brings vast uncertainty. The answer is that we can no longer afford to make decisions without really seeing the full picture of what is happening to the planet.”

The Africa Monitoring System (AMS)

The success of the system will depend on the accuracy and timeliness of the data collection process which will happen at multiple scales to create the most accurate possible picture. This will include

A household scale, using surveys on health, nutritional status, household income and assets;
A plot scale to assess agricultural production and determine what seeds go into the land, where they come from, what kind of fertilizer is used, what yield of crops they deliver, what happens after the harvest;
A landscape scale (100 km2) measuring water availability for household and agricultural use, ecosystem biodiversity, soil health, carbon stocks, etc.; and
A regional scale (~200,000 km2) that will tie everything together into a big picture, to see the scales at which agricultural development decisions are made.

The raw data will be fully accessible and synthesized into six simple holistic indicators that communicate diagnostic information about complex agro-ecosystems, such as: availability of clean water, the resilience of crop production to climate variability or the resilience of ecosystem services and livelihoods to changes in the agricultural system. The near real-time and multi-scale data will be pooled into an open-access online dashboard that policy makers will be able to freely use and customize to inform smart decision making.

“Rather than having a set of data over here for one issue, and other sets of data over there for other issues, what this system will essentially do is assemble the different puzzle pieces into one clear image that will allow decision makers to transparently see the parts and their sum in one centralized location”, Andelman explained.

CI Chairman and CEO Peter Seligmann praised the grant as a landmark moment in conservation which would inspire others. “We are honored to be entrusted by the foundation to shepherd their largest investment to date in examining the relationship between agriculture and the environment, and I could not be more encouraged or appreciative for their leadership, concluded Seligmann.”

CI, CSIR and Earth Institute will collaborate with governments, other non-governmental organizations, the academic community, the private sector and key international partners over the next three years to design and implement the Africa Monitoring System. This period will represent Phase 1 (three years) of a three-phase process (10-15 years) to create an Integrated Global Monitoring System for Agriculture, Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being, and developers expect to mobilize additional resources to leverage the Foundation’s investment.

April 3, 2012/by actualize

Economic Growth & Trade, Originally posted on the GBI Portal, Workforce Development

African ICT job opportunities high, skills lacking

A new survey published on Tuesday reveals that as telecom jobs in Africa booms, the continent still lacks skilled workers, calling on universities and governments to do more to boost the output of telecom and IT specialists in Africa.

Landelahni CEO Sandra Burmeister. (image: creamermedia.co.za)

The 2012 Telecommunications Survey, carried out by global Amrop executive search group member, Landelahni Business Leaders, highlights the skills gaps in the African ICT sector.

“Information and communications technology is a pre-condition for socio-economic development and national competitiveness. However, a shortage of key skills is a huge constraint,” Landelahni CEO Sandra Burmeister said in the report.

“Opportunities abound throughout Africa, despite the challenges of poor infrastructure, disparate regulatory environments and ferocious competition. Spending on ICT infrastructure is expected to total more than US$23 billion a year over the next few years. South Africa and the rest of the continent need to skill up to maximise this opportunity.

“(South African) minister of science and technology Naledi Pandor has acknowledged that the telecommunications industry holds promise as the backbone of this country’s economic, industrial and innovative advancement. Similarly, the Green Paper for Post School Education and Training released in January (2012) states that ‘ICT is increasingly becoming a critical ingredient for participation in a globalised world’.”

It also called on governments to do more to boost young people’s ability to enter the fast-paced ICT world with the skills needed to bring Africa into the global technology world.

Joseph Mayton

March 29, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

End of the African telecoms boom?

The upsurge in sub-Saharan Africa mobile telecommunications seems to be subsiding as companies continue to overcrowd the market while trying to gain more clients. Sizeable investments and how businesses aim to win over customers’ favour was investigated in a new report.

As one boom ends, another begins Bitange Ndemo, secretary of the Kenyan Ministry of Information and Communications, believes. (image: file)

The Morgan Stanley Research report, a global investing firm, says as firms backed by big money, like Bharti Airtel, continue improving their network coverage and decrease tariffs, Africa will become more competitive. Old timers, such as MTN and Safaricom, that have enjoyed market dominance are set to be affected the most. According to the report, the boom will be replaced by market driven innovation, new products and expanding data services.

“All companies are focusing on driving data usage, and new services to reduce churn. The most important are mobile money services like M-Pesa, where innovation take-up is high,” the report says.

“We expect mobile revenues to grow from 3,4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011 to 3,7% by 2015, as we believe mobile revenue growth will outpace GDP in the next four years,” the report says.

Bitange Ndemo, secretary of the Kenyan Ministry of Information and Communications, says there is little room for new entrants in the local market.

“Unfortunately, there has been market erosion of about 20%, mostly because of competition that has seen cuts in tariffs in the sector. A new entrant would have a lot of problems as the four firms (Safaricom, Bharti Airtel, Yu Mobile, Orange) are struggling due to stiff competition,” Bitange told Daily Nation.

Industry analysts agree with his conclusion. ”What we are seeing is a correction of factors like the supernormal profits that some telecoms have been enjoying in the past,” Techie Makau, a Nairobi-based telecommunications consultant, said.
Makau added that providers now have to focus on provision, customer service and value addition. In the Kenyan market, the average price per minute fell by 80% due to competition largely from Bharti Airtel, between Sh2 and Sh4 ($0.03-0.05).

Despite the report, Bitange believes the data market is set to kick off next. Kenya’s internet penetration is only 30%, so once fibre optic cables expansion starts he believes we are set for another boom. “The data market is beginning to take shape as the fibre optic network continues to expand,” he said, adding: “this will see a lot of consumption of broadband… and that is what the companies should be looking at.”

Nico Gous

February 21, 2012/by actualize

Mobile Money, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Recent Innovations in Money Mobile: Moving Past the M-PESA Model

Photo Credit: TechCentral

Within the last month, there have been multiple new examples of mobile phones being leveraged to expand financial services in developing nations. With the popularity and quick success of M-PESA in Kenya, there was a push to copy the model in other developing countries. But it has been realized that the M-PESA model cannot be simply duplicated. The new mobile money products and services need to focus on solving a customer’s pain (or perceived pain) within the regional context (competition, policy environment, culture, infrastructure, etc). The examples below show how innovation in the market is occurring to meet the needs of customers. Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are seeing the benefits of providing an expanded set of value-added services to differentiate themselves in the market. In a recent TECHTalk at USAID with Pamela Riley from Abt Associates, she explained that MNOs are most focused on increasing and keeping their customers. With greater competition in the mobile network market, the ability to create more value to a MNO’s service keeps the customers from jumping from one provider to another (usually easier because one MNO’s SIM card can be easily switched out for another’s). The MNOs’ desire to increase revenue creates an incentive for them to implement innovative solutions based on the needs of their customers but also within the region’s entire context.

Below are a few recent examples of innovation in the mobile money space:

Mobile Banking

RedCloud Technology recently completed Bolivia’s first mobile money platform. The product, Nube Roja, was created from a $1.2 million investment from BlueOrchard, CONFIE (Corporación de Fomento a Iniciativas Económicas S.L.), PROFIN (Fundación para el Desarrollo Productivo y Financiero), Iceni Mobile, and RedCloud. The goal of the product is to provide access to financial services to roughly 6.5 million people in Bolivia who do not have a bank account. A pilot of the service will begin in the near future with customers being able to cash in, cash out, top up their airtime, transfer money person-to-person, and send remittances.

A newly formed partnership between First National Bank (FNB) and retail store PEP allows customers in South Africa to use FNB’s eWallet for banking services at the retail store. As long as the individual has a bar-coded South African ID, he/she can deposit, withdraw, send, make payments, and purchase goods at any PEP store in South Africa. In the past, only FNB customers could use the product. But with this partnership, FNB is looking to reach the unbanked in the country. Partnering with PEP expands FNB financial services to 1,200 stores and gives greater access to those who have a mobile phone.

As a part of a strategy to expand financial services further into the rural areas of Mexico, the National Savings Bank and Financial Services (Bansefi) is going to use mobile technologies through the implementation of the Program of Technical Assistance to Rural Microfinance (Patmir). Their goal is to have over 15% of their new partners and customers be served with low-cost mobile technology. Bansefi will be hiring a consulting firm to provide technical assistance with the implementation of new technologies, innovations, and best practices.

Money Transfer Services

In partnership with one of the leading MNOs in India (BSNL), the Indian Post Office has begun its own mobile money service. The service allows money be transferred via text message and utilizes the physical post offices to act as cash in/cash out locations. It works by the sender providing the post office with the receiver’s information (number and address) along with the amount to be sent. Once the cash is deposited, both the sender and receiver are text messaged a unique code by the Post Office. In order to withdraw the money, the receiver shows the code to the Post Office. There is a service charge of 5% and is available to individuals across all networks.

Airtel has plans to establish mobile money transfer services in Kenya and Tanzania as it has already done in Uganda. The goal of the new services, as stated by Michael Okwiri, Vice President of Corporate Communivation at Airtel Africa, is eventually create a cross-border money transfer service between the three countries.

Western Union and Telma, a Malagasy telecomm company, have partnered to start an international mobile money transfer service. The new service allows citizens to transfer money via their mobile phones by using Western Union’s international transfer service. By combining Telma’s mobile money service (MVola) and Western Union’s service, individuals can receive money transfers from abroad via their mobile phone. The transfer will go directly into their MVola account. At this point, it is only a one-way service as Malagasy citizens can not send transfers outside the country. MVola, like other mobile money services, allows customers to purchase goods, make payments, and deposit/withdraw money.

ATM

As a part of Airtel’s new mobile money platform in Uganda, customers will be able to process transactions at ATMs. This includes paying bills, accessing their bank accounts, and withdrawing Airtel money using ATMs located country-wide. This service was made possible via partnerships with banks which include Standard Chartered, Post Bank, KCB, and Diamond Trust Centenary Bank.

Credit-Worthiness

A Cambridge start-up has created software in order to help determine an individual’s credit risk by looking at how the person uses their mobile phone. Cignifi has received $2 million in funding after piloting the product last year in Brazil. The software looks at multiple data points in order to further understand one’s lifestyle. It creates a score similar to the FICO score used in the United States. Since many developing countries do not have credit bureaus or limited ones, it is more difficult to calculate the credit risk of an individual person. This is innovative way to understand the riskiness of an potential borrower.

February 8, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

NEPAD signs Grant Facility Agreement with AFD for BB Infrastructure

Photo Credit: NEPAD

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency has signed a grant facility agreement towards the financing of its information and communication technology (ICT) broadband infrastructure network for West, Central and North Africa project.

The Grant Facility Agreement (GFA) was signed on Thursday, February 2, with French Development Agency (AFD), a French public institution. The grant of one million three hundred and fifty thousand Euros (EUR 1,350,000,00), was made available to NEPAD Agency by the European Union Infrastructure Trust Fund (EU-ITF), a European donor coordinated fund, through the AFD.

The NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Program – the Umojanet project is a terrestrial network that is expected to link every African country to its neighbors and connect to Uhurunet, to realize the dream of the cross-border continental NEPAD Network. The project will also connect the continent to the rest of the world through broadband fibre-optic submarine cables. It will provide abundant bandwidth, easier connectivity, reduced costs, and help integrate the continent by facilitating trade, social, and cultural exchange between countries.

According to the statement issued Friday, February 3, 2012 from Midrand South Africa, the grant completes the initial funds of 850 000 Euros granted by the AFD to the NEPAD secretary to support the initiative.

Commenting on the grant during the signing ceremony at the NEPAD Agency offices, Midrand, South Africa, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NEPAD Agency, said, “This is an opportune moment for us both, AFD and NEPAD, to focus on ICT as a crucial element in developing infrastructure in Africa and we welcome this support to the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) as the development Agency of the African Union.”

For his part, Mr. Yves Boudot, Director of the Sub-Saharan Africa Department of AFD, expressed his satisfaction to proceed with the signature and noted that “as the case with AFD support to NEPAD ICT continental infrastructure developments, AFD is ready to discuss and widen the scope of collaboration to address other continental infrastructure development challenges.”

The French Development Agency (AFD), a specialized development financial institution, funds sustainable development projects carried by government local authorities, public companies, and the private and associative sectors on five continents – with primacy given to Africa.

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a program of the African Union (AU) adopted in Lusaka, Zambia in 2001. NEPAD is a radically new intervention, spearheaded by African leaders to pursue new priorities and approaches to the political and socio-economic transformation of Africa. NEPAD’s objective is to enhance Africa’s growth, development and participation in the global economy. Read more about NEPAD’s principles, program of action, priorities and desired outcomes.

February 8, 2012/by actualize

Connectivity, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

African Tech Tidbits: pragmatism, open source, the joy of 3G, and more

Many viewpoints appear on our radar as we sift through news stories from across the continent. All are useful, but some are especially intriguing. This year, we aim to routinely jot down snippets of our thoughts on what is happening in the realm of African Internet progress. We hope the discussion of these themes can ever-so-slightly contribute to a continent where every citizen has the means to not only access, but also to understand the power of the Internet.

On our mind this January 17th, 2012 are a range of themes – from Google’s up-and-down week to cross-border telecom partnerships to 3G arriving in Algeria:

Tanzania’s plan to spend $189m on a nationwide fibre cable certainly will open more doors for computer users. However, the means to utilize the network must be behind those doors. The good news is the government claims to be committed to e-learning. More questionable is how China expects to recoup its $170 million investment.
The Google/Mocality controversy earlier in the week serves as a wake-up call for everyone involved in online business. Small companies (like Mocality) need to remain diligent, but not overly paranoid. Tech should understand the nuances of IP addresses and user-agent information. On the other hand, large companies (Google) need to continue to promote ethical business practices.
Despite the negative press from the Mocality incident in Kenya, Google Ghana launched a program to get Ghanaian businesses online within two years in Ghana. The program helps SMEs create a website, list themselves on Google maps, and set up a Google+ page. Very useful.
Telecom execs in South Africa are wise to warn consumers not to expect drastic broadband price cuts when WACS goes live later in 2012. The reason: in South Africa, local factors are more limiting than raw international capacity.
We agree with TechZim that “basic phones will still rule” this year and that Asian imitations will be harder to sell. Pragmatism at its best.
Network redundancy and number of telecom operators in a country are inversely proportional.
Free and open source software is a must for cash-strapped entrepreneurs, educators, and developers. Users of such software should be wary of security concerns, however!
We’re glad to see that the “Silicon Valleys of the World” infographic created by Gist touts the robust entrepreneurial culture of Africa. Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana all have Entrepreneurial Indices greater than the global average.
Telecoms news out of Chad is rare, yet it is always positive. Kudos to Cameroon for working with their neighbor to enhance bandwidth capabilities in Chad. More nations need to realize the mutual benefits of cross border partnerships. In this case, Chad (via SITCOM) will link to the SAT3 undersea cable. In turn, Cameroon (via CAMTEL) will share a maintenance platform with Chad. Of course, Camtel will most likely turn a tidy profit…
We often focus on serious issues of how the Internet enhances learning, improves government transparency, and prevents disease. But it’s used for fun too! Youth in Algeria eagerly anticipate the arrival of 3G later this year. What stands out is the sentiment of a student/blogger who says he can’t wait to prove his friends wrong (by quickly finding the answer online) when they get into a petty argument.
The island of St. Helena is hardly African, but its geographic proximity and economic relationship with South Africa warrants coverage. Please support the nation’s endeavor to secure greater broadband capacity.

Finally, like the Vice President of Kenya says, consider highlighting positive news out of Africa rather than dwelling on negative issues. That doesn’t mean ignore the bad, but rather emphasize the good.

January 18, 2012/by actualize

Agriculture, Originally posted on the GBI Portal

Ripfumelo: “Getting to Zero” with ICTs

Photo Credit: Ripfumelo

Initiated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Regional Office for Southern Africa and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2009, the Ripfumelo (“believe” in xiTsonga language) program is designed to reduce HIV vulnerability among farm workers in South Africa’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. The project works to develop a network of stakeholders working specifically on HIV-related issues to reduce the high incidence and impact of HIV on farm workers, their families, and communities. It aims to address individual and contextual factors that increase vulnerability to HIV amongst commercial agricultural workers. These include the mobility and migratory factors associated with the nature of the work, such as limited access to services, gender dynamics and lack of healthier recreational activities. But little is known about innovative use of information and communication technologies to help achieve the strategic goal of Ripfumelo. As the world celebrates AIDS Day, it is important to reflect on issues like this and look at ways by which ICTs can be effectively integrated into such a project to help achieve the 2015 target of “Getting to Zero” with HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS and Its Impact on Agriculture The adverse effects of HIV/AIDS on agriculture and rural development are manifested primarily as loss of labor supply, of on- and off-farm income and of assets. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for example noted that, the consequences of HIV/AIDS – poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, reduced labor force and loss of knowledge – contribute to making the rural poor more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection. Other studieshave identified the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS on farmers in specific and agriculture in general as;

Reduced staff productivity through loss in human resources, absenteeism due to morbidity and funeral attendance, morbidity-related on-the-job fatigue, and staff demoralization.
Increase in Ministerial expenditures through costs related to HIV/AIDS absenteeism, medical costs, burial costs, recruitment and replacement costs/productivity loss after training, terminal benefits, and costs incurred to protect the rights of staff members living with HIV/AIDS at the workplace.
Increase in staff turnover
Increase in the workload of the staff of ministries of agriculture
Loss of knowledge, skills and experience

Using ICTs and Social Media to fight HIV/AIDS Among FarmersBy their nature, ICTs have the potential to help reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture through effective communication strategies. ICTs are helping through treatment and prevention programs, changing attitudes and practices, and making it possible to share success and best practices.

Access to information on HIV/AIDS by these farm workers is key to the fight against the pandemic among them. Radio and television are basic communication tools that could help disseminate information on the danger of contracting HIV/AIDS to these farm workers.
Access to data on these individuals and their settings is also key in designing effective program for them. Information and communication technologies such as mobile phones and other hand-held devices could be used to gather instant and accurate data for the organizations involved in the project.
ICTs and social media could be used in training and educating both the migrant workers and their hosts on HIV/AIDS.
Information communication technologies could also be used through diagnosis and treatment support services for these migrant farm workers who have limited access to basic health services. Mobile health services and other e-medicine programs are being used for other diseases.
Affected farm workers could be supported and encouraged through sharing of experiences and challenges by others through the use of videos and photographs.
The Internet as a global public medium could be used to win the victims support from their governments, NGOs and other well wishers.
Testimonies of People Living with HIV/AIDS could be documented and shared with these migrant communities during training and workshops.
Internet websites, and social networking sites like Facebook could also be used as secondary medium in reaching out to these people.

ICTs are collaborating tools and with the goal of the Ripfumelo program to network stakeholders working on the issue, there should not be any delay in integrating these tools to reach their target. Remember “Getting to Zero” is 2015.

December 1, 2011/by actualize

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