Youth, Rural Development and ICT: ARDYIS Essay Contest Extended to 15 August 2010!

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA), in collaboration with FARA, Yam-Pukri, CAFAN, AYF, ANAFE, PAFPNET, has recently launched an essay writing contest on “Youth and ICTs in Agriculture and Rural Development”.

Youth finding solutions to challenges in agriculture and rural development using ICT !

The deadline to submit is extended to 15 August 2010. The essay contest is open to young people aged 18 – 25 years old, from urban or rural areas of Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific countries. Win up to 1,500 Euros, make your voice heard and improve your capacity by submitting your essay today!

Interested? : Read Details here:- http://ardyis.cta.int/en/activities/awards/item/48-awards/48-awards

What’s Next: The Digital Divide and the Youth

Recently I contributed to “What’s Next” an e-book that features 25 Bib Ideas from Gen-Yers Under 25. My article was mainly on the topic “The Digital Divide and the Youth”.

I could easily have my full article published on my personal blog but then, that means that you wont be able to read the other 24 Big Ideas. Thats why I am only providing two paragraphs such that you can follow the link to take a look at the full book.

Today, the world is referred to as a “Global Village”. The communities all around the world are transforming from being economic based to information based. This is because Information and Telecommunication Technologies have brought many exciting opportunities worth exploring in areas of social, political and economic development.

These ICT tools are becoming more essential in everyday life. This is because almost everyone in the needs to communicate or access information.

What we need to create is a platform where the youth can interact, discuss and share ideas about the grand challenges threatening the future.

 READ MORE Here – My article is on Slide 27 and 28

Comments and feed back would be nice..

Provide skills NOT just finished technologies.

Most of the current problems in Africa are being solve by the few “experts”. On top of being expensive, it takes them a bit of time to do the necessary research and studies before they come to a conclusion. In my opinion, it would be a lot easy if the local people are given the skills to investigate solutions to the problems affecting them. This makes them feel more involved hence taking up the obligation to find solutions to their own problems and “make it happen”/ innovate. Its the same with the technologies. Once people get the technologies, they don’t feel the urge to work hard or improve on the current technologies or even look for cheaper solutions. But when the solution to a problems affecting a wider community comes as a result of skill the locals have earned. They get more involved in applying the required skills – more innovative too!! Give skills not technology.