Information For Rural Development Research Articles

The Role of Indigenous Communication Systems for Rural Development in the Tolon District of Ghana

This study explores the role of Indigenous Communication Systems (ICSs) in the Tolon District of Ghana, and how they are used as sites for cultural constructions, and platforms for propagating information for rural development.The study adopts social constructivism epistemological worldview and qualitative content analysis to interpret participants’ perspectives on the role of ICSs as sites for cultural constructions and propagating information for rural development in the Tolon District of Ghana. The study revealed that ICSs such as storytelling, drumming, the town crier, provide an avenue for the indigenous people to disseminate important information to rural communities in a language the local people are familiar with, understand, and as well inculcate good ethical and moral values to the up-coming generation. Considering this, the study recommends that ICSs should be refined and maintained to promote indigenous knowledge communication. Finally, the study uncovered that indigenous people hybridized or synchronized indigenous communication systems with new media technologies to enhance information dissemination in the rural communities. Therefore, the study suggests that rural communities could integrate both western communication technologies and traditional media forms to promote participatory media content creation and effective information dissemination in the rural communities for effective development.

Does rural residential land expansion pattern lead to different impacts on eco-environment? A case study of loess hilly and gully region, China

Land use change and its impacts on eco-environment attract great attentions. Earlier studies shed light on the impacts of urban build-up land and agriculture land. Yet, knowledge about the impacts of rural residential land on eco-environment, especially from different expansion patterns perspective, is relatively limited. Taking Baota District, a typical city in loess hilly and gully region during the period of 1990–2015 as a case study, this paper analyzed rural residential land and habitat quality changes based on land-use data (30-m spatial resolution), and further used direct/indirect measurement model to explore the impacts of different expansion patterns of rural residential land on eco-environment. Results showed that the growth rate of rural residential land decreased first and then increased during study period, and the pattern of edge expansion has the largest scale among the newly added residential land. Moreover, the eco-environment in northern area of Baota District had been significantly improved, especially the habitat quality of shrubs and grasslands. Unfortunately, this study found that the eco-environment around cities and townships deteriorated dramatically. Environment policy, land engineering projects and residential land changes were important driving factors on eco-environment changes. Furthermore, this study verified the difference in indirect impacts of rural residential land expansion patterns on eco-environment (infilling pattern < edge-expansion pattern < leapfrog pattern) based on direct/indirect measurement model. According to the findings of this work, we proposed several implications for rural spatial restructuring. We hope these findings and suggestions could provide valuable information for rural development, and further improving regional ecological security.

Development Index of Village

Development Index of Village (IPD) is part of a development plan Rural Development Information System (SIPDs) and Rural Area Development is based on Law No. 6 of 2014 on the village of Article 86, which is one of its verses says "Government and Local Government shall develop an information system of the village and the Development of rural areas". Development Index of Village (IPD) was built by the Village Potential Census data (Podes) issued by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) conducted within a period of 3 (three) years. There are five (5) dimensions of rural development index (IPD) is the first basic service, the condition of infrastructure, third-accessibility / transport, public services fourth, and fifth Implementation of government. IPD village classifies into Villages, Village Developing and Village Self. Based on the research results Hidayati (2015) obtained the data that the proportion of the population living below the national poverty line in Tuban regency suffered progress backwards with PHI value of - 0.293, the ratio of depth of poverty in the district Tuban also retreated with PHI value of - 0.141. Similarly, the ratio of employment to population aged 15 years and over in Tuban experiencing progress backwards with PHI value of - 0.063. While Indicator of education in almost all districts in Tuban, many have not reached the target or targets were heading except for indicators dropout rate (DO) of children aged 7-15 years (2.2.z), figure Attrition SD (2.f) and figure Dropout SMP (2.g). These facts are an indication that the achievement of development in Tuban Regency still needs a big effort to be improved. Therefore, in order to improve the development strategy in Tuban regency proper and appropriate program / target location, it is necessary to conduct a study to first identify the achievement of Village Development Index in each Village and District based on 5 Dimension of IPD and conducted Clusterization of Village Development per District in Tuban Regency based IPD (Podes 2014). In order to achieve these objectives are used IPD scorecard and IPD maping techniques. And the result is the majority in almost all districts in Tuban Regency IPD performance related to the dimensions of economic infrastructure, communication infrastructure and information and public services in the field of sports is still far from the target Minimum Service Standards Tuban. IPD achievements are related to the dimensions of energy infrastructure, health and sanitation infrastructure and transportation accessibility, public service in the field of public health and self-reliance in governance shows that almost all districts in Tuban Regency have reached the Minimum Service Standards target. The dimension of governance is a dimension whose level of development achievement does not have a red scorecard for all sub-districts. The village with the highest IPD achievement in Tuban Regency is Sukosari Village, Soko District whereas the lowest IPD achievement is Ngrejeng village, Grabagan sub-district. The percentage of classification of village status in Tuban Regency covers 2.57% of the villages, 90.68% for developing villages and independent villages as much as 6.75%. Based on Cluster Mapping of Village Development Index, Grabagan District is a sub-district with the Lowest Village Development Index level, especially in terms of its infrastructure development dimension. Next Kerek District and District Kenduruan as the second lowest cluster. While the District Jatirogo, Bancar, Tambakboyo, Bangilan, Senori, Parengan, Soko and Semanding. As a sub-district with the highest cluster that has a Village Development Index above 64.09 is District Jenu, Merakurak, Tuban, Cross, Widang, Plumpang, Rengel, Montong and Singgahan

정보 전략 계획(ISP)을 통한 농촌지역개발사업 정보시스템 구축방안

This study aims at suggesting some measures to establish rural community development information system through ISP. A future model for rural community development information system was established by applying such 3-step ISP methodology as environment analysis, current status(AS-IS) analysis, future(To-Be) directions. As a result, with the vision of realizing comprehensive information service for rural development projects, rural development information system has established such goals as the assistance of project decision making through preparing rural development project data management system and acquiring evaluation efficiency, the preparation of spatial information utilization system, the utilization of objective GIS-based information through the increase of data management efficiency, the community activation and participatory rural development through rural spatial information portal service. In order to attain the goals, four strategical subject matters were derived. They are: 1) one-stop service subject matter for data management including pilot DB building for rural development projects, 2) rural information GIS service strengthening subject matter including DB building for rural development, O&M measures, 3) step-by-step DB building subject matter including the sharing of integrated information system for rural development, and 4) core value increase subject matter of spatial information data including the building of active service delivery system.

Information development around the world again

Once again this issue of Information Development takes us around the world, with articles on themes as varied as their geographical spread. We begin in South Asia with a general review of the role of information in rural development – a frequently-discussed topic in these pages. In ‘Role of information for rural development in Bangladesh: A sector-wise review’, Kazi Mostak Gausul Hoq of the University of Dhaka provides an overview of the roles information could play in various socio-politico-economic sectors in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Against a backdrop of the enactment of a Right to Information Act and the government’s recent efforts towards establishing a Digital Bangladesh by the year 2021, the country has been witnessing a revival of information-focused activities in its rural and farflung areas. Covering diverse areas including agriculture, health, human rights, education, employment, market and finance and disaster management, the article indicates how an informed and knowledgeempowered rural people could work towards ensuring the socio-economic advancement of the country, thereby recognizing the role of information for sustainable rural development. The preservation of the documentary heritage in Africa is the subject of the next paper, ‘Availing the liberation struggle heritage to the public: Some reflections on the use of Web 2.0 technologies in archives within the East and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA)’, by Francis Garaba of the Lutheran Theological Institute Library in Scottsville, South Africa. This paper addresses the extent to which Web 2.0 technologies may be used to make the liberation struggle heritage available to the public in archival institutions in the ESARBICA region, noting that the advent of web technologies provides an opportunity for these institutions to improve their public image. Social media technologies can have a transformative influence, but have to be the right technology for the right place and the right people, and archivists need to find innovative strategies to use these technologies. We remain in Africa, but with a change of theme, in the next paper. In ‘Information use and policy decision-making by district assembly members in Ghana’, David Kobla Fiankor of Ho Polytechnic and Harry Akussah of the University of Ghana report on a study to investigate information utilization for policy decision-making by assembly members in Ghana’s local government system. The study revealed that assembly members had little access to relevant and reliable information when making decisions about policies, programmes and policy implementation, and often made decisions based on what could be remembered. The study makes a number of recommendations for improving the situation. We return to Southern Africa and another complete change of content with the next paper. In ‘An investigation of institutional repositories in state universities in Zimbabwe’, Esther Nyambi and Sally Maynard of Loughborough University examine the current state of institutional repositories in Zimbabwe and the challenges and enablers for institutional growth, whilst evaluating the operational issues that might be affecting the setting up of institutional repositories. The current state of repositories has largely been influenced by the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe. Partnerships forged between the libraries and INASP are playing a significant role in supporting research and the setting up of repositories, but the issue of still requires attention and financial assistance from the government and from the universities themselves. Perhaps the most widespread ICT application in developing countries is the mobile phone. The final paper in this issue, ‘A voice for the voiceless: Peerto-peer mobile phone networks for a community radio service’ by Kavitha Ranganathan and Ankur Sarin of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, proposes a new application for mobile ad hoc networks Information Development 28(1) 3–4 a The Author(s) 2012 Reprints and permission: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0266666911432984 idv.sagepub.com

Role of information for rural development in Bangladesh: a sector-wise review

Although it is generally agreed that information plays a critical role in development, no sure-success way of applying information for sustainable development has been worked out so far. This article gives an overview of the roles information could play in various socio-politico-economic sectors in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Against a backdrop of the enactment of a Right to Information Act and the government’s recent efforts towards establishing a Digital Bangladesh by the year 2021, the country has been witnessing a revival of information-focused activities in its rural and far-flung areas. Covering diverse areas including agriculture, health, human rights, education, employment, market and finance and disaster management, the article indicates how an informed and knowledge-empowered rural people could carry their way forward towards ensuring socio-economic advancement of the country and thereby recognizing the role of information for sustainable rural development.

An Overview of the Provision of Information for Rural Development in Nigeria

Information is universally viewed as essential commodity for development, it is important to the social, political, educational and economic development processes of any given community. Not only does it expands the possibilities of community development, it creates awareness among the members of such communities. The paper viewed Information as an asset and resources utilized for the development of general populace in any given community. It highlighted different methods through which information resources can be disseminated to rural community especially in this digital age. The paper also looked particularly at the technology infrastructure in Nigeria to determine whether CD-Rom technology, Internet connectivity and proper awareness could serve as a new strategy that is viable for disseminating information resources to rural communities in Nigeria, so as to drastically reduce the level of illiteracy and keep them abreast of all the development processes taking place inthe country.

Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria

This study investigated the extent to which the print media, and particularly the newspapers, faced the challenge of informing, educating and championing the rights of the people in rural development and environmental education in 2006. It analyzed five leading national newspapers for a period of twelve months to ascertain their level of coverage and reportage of environmental and rural development information and specialty events. Rural development news coverage was highest (31.48%) in the fourth quarter, and least in the third quarter (17.79%) of the year. Sixty nine percent of rural development information/news appeared as features, while others were presented as editorials (13.04%), advertorials (9.27%) and pictorials (8.38%). The Sun newspapers (23.65%) could easily pass as the best print medium in reporting environmental and rural development news, followed by The Punch (22.5%) and The Champion (21.3%) newspapers. The Sun newspapers also exhibited consistent leadership in promoting activities in the health and population / family planning sub-sectors, while The Champion disseminated more information on rural infrastructures and environmental matters. Viewed from the perspective of editor’s enhanced academic background, the rising educational profile of members of the public and the synergy between environment, health and rural development, newspapers need to improve on their advocacy role in order to enhance their credibility as promoters of issues of public interest. Key words: Print media, Content analysis, Advocacy journalism, Rural development, Environmental management

Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Information for Rural Development: an introduction to the special issue

Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Information for Rural Development: an introduction to the special issue

Information Dissemination for Development: An Impact Study

Contribution to a special issue on ‘Developing Evaluation Practice in the Information Sector’. Reports the results of an impact evaluation of a research project to develop a Rural Information Strategy and establish Community Information Centres in three villages in Africa: Chiwamba in Malawi and Marindi and Kisarawe 2 in Tanzania. Describes the action research methodology and impact indicators used in the study. Some 25 percent of community members participating in the project were interviewed to evaluate its impact. Presents data on level of receipt and level of perceived benefit in the three communities in respect of: health information; agricultural information; educational and literacy information; income generation information; expansion of the knowledge base; and borrowing of materials. Records difficulties in participating in information centre activities and the extent to which ideas obtained through the project were put into practice. The main factors influencing impact were: the contribution of the local information facilitators; the rural development information environment; and the rural development information centre model based on (a) a broad information strategy; (b) competent information facilitators; (c) a multi-channel approach to information dissemination; and (c) the participation of different rural groups.

Information for rural development: challenge for Nigerian rural public libraries

Nigeria is a developing country where the majority of the population live in rural areas. The majority of these rural dwellers are either non‐literate or semi‐literate. The need to involve them in the national development process cannot be overemphasized. This can be achieved through the identification of the information needs of rural dwellers and the provision of innovative rural public library services to improve their level of literacy and education and to enhance their ability to use practical information relevant to their daily lives.

“Unfolding” Natural Resource-Use Information Systems: Fieldwork in Botswana

My research examines the performance of natural resource-use information systems. I question why such systems, despite receiving substantial financial and human investment, appear to have a weak impact on projects, programs, and policy intended for rural poverty alleviation in developing countries. Drawing on my understanding of the “process of unfolding” introduced by C. West Churchman, and its particular relationship to Habermasian constitutive interests, I reflect on my experiences of using the concept during fieldwork undertaken in Botswana. The concept is found useful on two fronts: first, it provides a purposeful guide for gathering and processing information/knowledge—what I have termed an epistemological intent; second, it provides a useful template for evaluating other information systems; in particular, the role of expertise—what I have termed an ontological intent. The process of unfolding, as I understand it, also provides an invitation for constructive (rather than self-indulgent) personal reflection: what might be termed a constitutive reflexive intent. By making information gathering and knowledge generation less mystical and a more transparent social activity, the conceptual and practical application of the process of unfolding can help toward retrieving inquiry as being a purposeful, openly political, and thereby less deceptive engagement: features which I believe are found particularly wanting in the business of rural development information gathering.

Urban transport in developing countries

Land use change and its impacts on eco-environment attract great attentions. Earlier studies shed light on the impacts of urban build-up land and agriculture land. Yet, knowledge about the impacts of rural residential land on eco-environment, especially from different expansion patterns perspective, is relatively limited. Taking Baota District, a typical city in loess hilly and gully region during the period of 1990–2015 as a case study, this paper analyzed rural residential land and habitat quality changes based on land-use data (30-m spatial resolution), and further used direct/indirect measurement model to explore the impacts of different expansion patterns of rural residential land on eco-environment. Results showed that the growth rate of rural residential land decreased first and then increased during study period, and the pattern of edge expansion has the largest scale among the newly added residential land. Moreover, the eco-environment in northern area of Baota District had been significantly improved, especially the habitat quality of shrubs and grasslands. Unfortunately, this study found that the eco-environment around cities and townships deteriorated dramatically. Environment policy, land engineering projects and residential land changes were important driving factors on eco-environment changes. Furthermore, this study verified the difference in indirect impacts of rural residential land expansion patterns on eco-environment (infilling pattern < edge-expansion pattern < leapfrog pattern) based on direct/indirect measurement model. According to the findings of this work, we proposed several implications for rural spatial restructuring. We hope these findings and suggestions could provide valuable information for rural development, and further improving regional ecological security.

Design for a microcomputer-based rural development information system

A new type of rural development information system is described. It is based on two recently introduced low-cost technologies; microcomputers and the informant survey. When the informant data from the universe of subdistricts in a region are analyzed with modern multivariate techniques, it is possible to derive comprehensive measures of institutional structure as well as five measures of rural progress. The latter are: a level of living scale based on housing characteristics, a measure ofinequality derived from the difference between the housing of irrigated and dryland farmers, an estimate of agricultural productivity, a score of ecological problems, and a measure of status group restrictions, specifically restrictions on females. These and similar measures of social structure constitute the ‘macrosocial accounting’ file. In addition this information system includes project monitoring and administrative accounting files. The uses of this system are familiar — comparative description, monitoring and evaluation — but in this integrated and upgraded form, the potential problem solving capacity of rural development agencies should be significantly enhanced.

Some Foundations of Economic Development in the Upper East Tennessee Valley, 1850-1900

Previous articleNext article No AccessSome Foundations of Economic Development in the Upper East Tennessee Valley, 1850-1900William H. NichollsWilliam H. Nicholls Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Journal of Political Economy Volume 64, Number 4Aug., 1956 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/257809 Views: 2Total views on this site Citations: 2Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1956 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, Ramón García Fernández The “Vanderbilt Boys” and the Modernization of Brazilian Economics, History of Political Economy 53, no.55 (Oct 2021): 893–924.https://doi.org/10.1215/00182702-9395100Frank W. Young, Fernando Bertoli, Sandra Bertoli Design for a microcomputer-based rural development information system, Social Indicators Research 9, no.33 (Sep 1981): 283–312.https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300659