ICT4D: Challenges and Opportunities in Zambia

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Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) has become a truly global undertaking, bringing together north and south, rich and not so rich (poor), those who live in urban areas as well as those who live in rural environments. It has also brought together researchers and ICT practitioners, technologists and social scientists to strive and work towards a better life for the least privileged.

On a planet where there are well over one billion users of the internet, there are still more than one billion people living on a dollar a day. The same technology that has transformed the lives of the privileged has remained out of reach and irrelevant for those who are less privileged.

In a typical rural economy on the African continent, most of the focus is on basic requirements for living such as clean drinking water, basic health systems and improved education systems. While there are many ways of communication using traditional media such as radio and newspapers in local languages, newer technologies such as computers and the internet are finding their way into people’s homes and community-based centres at a very slow pace.

ICT4D involves multiple sectors - government, academia, small, medium and micro-enterprises, large corporates and NGOs - and draws interest from multiple disciplines that include the likes of anthropology, political science, sociology, economics, engineering design and computer science to name but a few. As with many multidisciplinary fields the boundaries are amorphous and the goals are many, but there is need to identify core components that define the field.

This research report looks at various aspects that can bring about an impact on development using the appropriate application of ICT to accelerate or even jumpstart progress in Zambia. ICTs on their own are not a panacea for economic problems but once properly harnessed and used can easily enhance developmental efforts.

Chapter 1 introduces aspects required to attain development using various attributes of ICT that include human resources as well as technology. It also addresses the trends in implementation, from the focus on ICT access issues to the adoption of appropriate technologies for development for all market segments. The inclusion of society, in its broadest sense, in deploying ICT as a true tool for enhanced development is also presented, as is the role ICT will play as a crosscutting tool for the attainment of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is followed by a scan of the current ICT environment in Zambia, including the work done thus far on the ICT policy and whether it addresses ICT4D. ICT indicators for the country show that, while strides have been made in the mobile sector, growth in the fixed line market has stagnated and broader internet access has not been achieved.

Barriers that are currently affecting the uptake and use of the internet are addressed. These range from the high costs associated with the provision of broadband through satellite and fibre-optic cable, taking into account that the country is landlocked and will have to depend on other countries to provide broadband through fibre.

The current regulatory regime and the barriers that market players face are assessed, including their impact on the growth of the sector. A key issue in infrastructure development is the lack of collaboration between key market players, the result being the development of a national fibre backbone by three different players. Further, the lack of collaboration by the two state-owned institutions is a major concern for both service providers and ICT practitioners.

The role of the Non Government Organisations Coordination Committee (NGOCC) and other advocacy groups is discussed. While it is noted that the NGOCC has largely focused its attention on political and poverty reduction issues, a few interest groups such as eBRAIN and PANOS Southern Africa, have taken ICT issues on board. The Computer Society of Zambia has also played a key role in advocacy, although its role has been mainly through professional gatherings. The NGOCC has influence and this influence could attain similar results if ICT-related issues were added to their agenda. There is need for collaboration between all advocacy agencies with NGOCC taking the lead role.

Access and usage of ICT is a critical issue requiring attention, particularly since access is limited to the rail and major road networks corridors, leaving much of the country underserved. ICT usage does not necessarily lead to an improvement in livelihoods and specific attention is needed to ensure that efforts are focused on the application of ICT4D in areas that will have an impact on people’s lives.

Chapter 2 presents the methodology which was used to draw conclusions for this study. About 15 face-to-face interviews were conducted, in addition to a questionnaire survey which was sent to 10 key market players, both end-users and service providers. Online debates were conducted with interest groups such as eBRAIN and the Computer Society of Zambia. Over 40 participant responses were analysed. Interviews were carried out in Southern, Northern and Western Lusaka, as well as in the Copperbelt, where interviews were held with ICT consumers in areas such as health, education, business, agriculture and broadcasting as well with ICT service providers. Interviews and discussions were also held with government end-users and ICT professionals in government agencies.

Chapter 3 presents the research findings as drawn from various sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, education and health. End-user experiences of ICTs are also reflected.

Chapter 4 provides an overview of the challenges, as perceived by a range of key stakeholders, which extend from competitive markets to the costs they incur for bringing such services to market. Other issues include: the high costs of access and equipment; the capacity to take ICT to target markets; the erratic or non-existent power supply in some parts of the country; and the high cost of alternative energy sources which particularly affects the less privileged.

Chapter 5 presents the opportunities, priorities and possible actions that exist for the enhanced use of ICT4D, as identified by business, civil society and ICT service providers. These include a wide range of actions, from the deployment of appropriate technologies for selected market segments to the need for consolidated efforts in partnering between government and the private sector.

Recommendations that are made take into account the actions that have been identified as well as existing opportunities. Without synergy between all stakeholders not much can be achieved to attain the full potential of ICT4D in the country as well as the region. Strategies and time frames have to be agreed by all in order to achieve the desired results.

The Appendices include a list of available literature, a list of respondents who were consulted during the course of this research study, and the questionnaire which was distributed in paper or electronic format and which was used in the interviews and discussions. In addition, Appendix 5 presents seven examples of ICT projects currently ongoing in Zambia. A timeline for communications progress (Appendix 6) provides a snapshot of Zambia’s development since 1994.