Challenges for Challenges for Sustainable Rural Networking Sustainable Rural Networking

in Solomon Islandsin Solomon Islands

David LeemingDavid LeemingPeople First NetworkPeople First Network

Rural Development Volunteers AssociationRural Development Volunteers Association leeming@pipolfastaem.gov.sb leeming@pipolfastaem.gov.sb

www.peoplefirst.net.sbwww.peoplefirst.net.sb

Country FactsCountry Facts

The People The People First Network First Network (PFnet)(PFnet)

……to promote and facilitate ……to promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable equitable and sustainable rural developmentrural development and and peace buildingpeace building by enabling by enabling better information sharing and better information sharing and knowledge building among knowledge building among and across communities and across communities forming the Solomon forming the Solomon Islands……Islands……

www.peoplefirst.net.sbwww.peoplefirst.net.sb

Rural Development Volunteers Association

(RDVA)

1. Facilitate Facilitate affordable affordable

accessaccess

ObjectivesObjectives

2. Facilitate rural 2. Facilitate rural development development and peace-and peace-related related information flows information flows among all social among all social groups;groups;

3. Facilitate the 3. Facilitate the exchange of exchange of information information

between between communities and communities and

stakeholders;stakeholders;

Rural wireless networking in HF Rural wireless networking in HF bandband

Management Committees

Operators

Community intermediaries

Technical intermediaries

10 stations with another 13 scheduled by June 2004

Distance education Sustainable livelihoods

Rural credit + solar power + communications =

Rural “business incubator”Farmer’s networking

Applications

Disaster management Women’s networking

Community consultations:

i.e. Constitutional reform

Community policing

Rights awareness

ServicesServices

Email – community and private Email – community and private accountsaccounts

Searching on the Internet Searching on the Internet News reports News reports Sharing information with partnersSharing information with partners Secretarial servicesSecretarial services

Internet Centre in Honiara generates revenues to support the activities

Rural Development e-Citizen Rural Development e-Citizen PortalPortal

Challenges facing the Challenges facing the projectproject

Constraints on connectivityConstraints on connectivityIsland geography and dispersed populationIsland geography and dispersed population

++Least developed country statusLeast developed country status

++Limited infrastructureLimited infrastructure

++High Internet costs (unequal global market)High Internet costs (unequal global market)

++Telecom monopolyTelecom monopoly

++Ethnic conflictEthnic conflict

Problems and solutions : affordable Problems and solutions : affordable connectivityconnectivity

Unequal global telecom marketUnequal global telecom market Effects of monopolyEffects of monopoly 85% of country have no access to 85% of country have no access to

telecomstelecoms VHF, 802.11VHF, 802.11 HF band networkingHF band networking

ProsPros (of using HF band) (of using HF band)

Simple to install and useSimple to install and use Robust, reliableRobust, reliable Very low running costsVery low running costs

Slow, point to point only Slow, point to point only Vulnerable to d.o.s. caused by spam Vulnerable to d.o.s. caused by spam

(becoming very aggressive)(becoming very aggressive) Email only, no direct Internet accessEmail only, no direct Internet access

ConsCons

Creative management of low Creative management of low bandwidthbandwidth

Training of stakeholders in efficient useTraining of stakeholders in efficient use Filters – spam, large attachmentsFilters – spam, large attachments Web for mail systemsWeb for mail systems

– GetWeb (HealthNet)GetWeb (HealthNet)– www 4 mail (ICTP)www 4 mail (ICTP)– TEK (MIT)TEK (MIT)

Web for mail systems: PFnet’s Web for mail systems: PFnet’s experienceexperience

GetWeb returns full web pages and assumes GetWeb returns full web pages and assumes an generic email clientan generic email client

WWW4Mail very efficient – we use it to get WWW4Mail very efficient – we use it to get specific pages I.e. cyclone weather updatesspecific pages I.e. cyclone weather updates

Command line syntax, URLs, are like Command line syntax, URLs, are like hieroglyphics to our rural usershieroglyphics to our rural users

Users cannot conceptualize web architecture Users cannot conceptualize web architecture and navigation in order to search the Netand navigation in order to search the Net

These systems do not build up a local These systems do not build up a local resourceresource

Desirable user-related featuresDesirable user-related features

TEK has been the most usefulTEK has been the most useful Simple user interface for searchingSimple user interface for searching Builds up a local searchable archiveBuilds up a local searchable archive Remembers requests – avoids repetitionRemembers requests – avoids repetition Command language not neededCommand language not needed ““Intelligent” systems to aid inexperienced Intelligent” systems to aid inexperienced

users choose effective keywordsusers choose effective keywords Human intermediaries still needed in Human intermediaries still needed in

many applicationsmany applications

Other access-related issuesOther access-related issues

Interpretation of content by new usersInterpretation of content by new users– Intermediaries useful in specific Intermediaries useful in specific

applicationsapplications

Inappropriate and criminal usageInappropriate and criminal usage

Particular needs of education and Particular needs of education and academiaacademia– Case study: distance learning trialsCase study: distance learning trials

Distance education trialsDistance education trialsPeople First Network

University of South Pacific Centre, Honiara

EvaluationEvaluation

The trials proved the utility of the ICTThe trials proved the utility of the ICT Improved success rates, turnaround and Improved success rates, turnaround and

student-tutor relationshipsstudent-tutor relationships All participants needed training to use All participants needed training to use

the low-bandwidth systemthe low-bandwidth system All academic staff should be involvedAll academic staff should be involved Main problem concerned access to Main problem concerned access to

reference materialreference material

Access to online reference Access to online reference materialmaterial

Initially, by referral – did not work wellInitially, by referral – did not work well Web4mail, eJDS etc not used at that timeWeb4mail, eJDS etc not used at that time Direct searching now possible, but Direct searching now possible, but

students would need help choosing students would need help choosing keywords and interpreting resultskeywords and interpreting results

Quite often academic references were Quite often academic references were located but unobtainable electronicallylocated but unobtainable electronically

Physical libraries are still important to Physical libraries are still important to help remote studentshelp remote students

SuggestionsSuggestions PFnet will evaluate the eJDS systemPFnet will evaluate the eJDS system More standardised online libraries of More standardised online libraries of

academic publicationsacademic publications User-related featuresUser-related features Searchable CD-Rom libraries with Searchable CD-Rom libraries with

means to download updatesmeans to download updates Intelligent search engines (keywords)Intelligent search engines (keywords) More consideration of low-bandwidth More consideration of low-bandwidth

and email only accessand email only access A standard for formatting electronic A standard for formatting electronic

material for low bandwidth access?material for low bandwidth access?

SuggestionsSuggestions To succeed with WSIS action plan:To succeed with WSIS action plan:

Create more equality in the market Create more equality in the market (Internet access costs)(Internet access costs)

Otherwise accept subsidies for LDCsOtherwise accept subsidies for LDCs Humanitarian bandwidth pool?Humanitarian bandwidth pool? Take the spam war to the spammers; Take the spam war to the spammers;

Internet security is a major problem for Internet security is a major problem for LDCsLDCs

Consider the special needs of small island Consider the special needs of small island developing states (SIDS)developing states (SIDS)

Need to supportNeed to supportNational ICT Strategy National ICT Strategy

BuildingBuilding Currently no ICT Strategy in place in S.I.Currently no ICT Strategy in place in S.I. Regional ICT Policy Plan (2001)Regional ICT Policy Plan (2001)

Effects:Effects: Lack of focus Lack of focus Partners not collaborating – no synergyPartners not collaborating – no synergy Dependant on personalitiesDependant on personalities ICT not used widely in Solomon IslandsICT not used widely in Solomon Islands

ICT Strategy Building ICT Strategy Building workshopworkshop

Held to:Held to: Identify why ICT4D is not use more Identify why ICT4D is not use more

widelywidely Build a consensus on priority objectivesBuild a consensus on priority objectives Provide guiding documentation for ICT Provide guiding documentation for ICT

strategy buildingstrategy building

OutcomesOutcomes

Problem and objectives trees Problem and objectives trees constructed using OOPPconstructed using OOPP

Priority objectives clusters identifiedPriority objectives clusters identified Document published (e.J.o.I.S.D.C)Document published (e.J.o.I.S.D.C) Solomon Islands ICT Working Group Solomon Islands ICT Working Group

created as national steering councilcreated as national steering council Included in e-Pacifika (UNDP)Included in e-Pacifika (UNDP)

Problem Tree

55 problems associated with the use of ICT in development in Solomon Islands

Mapped onto a corresponding Objectives Tree

Objective clusters

identified

ICT4D strategy: ICT4D strategy: Objective clustersObjective clusters

AffordableAccess

Equipment/Access

Networking/Awareness

Education/Training

Policy

Support National ICT Strategy Building!!!

EndEnd

www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet.htmpfnet.htm

Update and AppropriationUpdate and Appropriation

Monthly email usage (sent and received)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Oct-01

Dec-0

1

Feb-0

2

Apr-0

2

Jun-

02

Aug-0

2

Oct-02

Dec-0

2

Feb-0

3

Apr-0

3

Jun-

03

Aug-0

3

Monthly revenue, all services (SBD)

$0.00

$200.00

$400.00

$600.00

$800.00

$1,000.00

$1,200.00

Oct-01

Dec-0

1

Feb-0

2

Apr-0

2

Jun-

02

Aug-0

2

Oct-02

Dec-0

2

Feb-0

3

Apr-0

3

Jun-

03

Aug-0

3

This shows usage by number of emails sent, for the first PFnet station at Sasamungga (est. Oct 2001)

This shows the revenue trend. Current revenues are now sufficient to account for all costs including long term equipment replacement

…Rural stations have no per minute charges. All revenues go to paying the volunteer operator an allowance, paper and ink. A small revenue stream is accumulated and reinvested for long term equipment replacement costs….

Sustainability of revenuesSustainability of revenues

Station Income Trend

$0.00

$200.00

$400.00

$600.00

$800.00

$1,000.00

$1,200.00

Dec-02Jan-03

Feb-03Mar-0

3Apr-0

3May-03

Jun-03Jul-03

Aug-03

sasamunaga

pirupiru

Kati

sigana

silolo

hutuna

pelau

….the trend for the monthly rural station revenue is upwards in most stations. 4 out of 7 are already achieving more than the target of SB$300 per month, and 3 are reaching almost twice this value…..Other stations need more attention, such as stronger linkage to specific applications, awareness and so on. Research is needed to identify the reasons….

..a F$40K research programme is starting on Oct 2003, led by the University of the South Pacific with UNDP and PFnet as co-researchers, to study the social impacts and the factors affecting appropriation. Five rural sites will be studied. The results will be published in June 2004……

Family correspondence 2038 Forestry 4Business and investment 442 Police/Law and order 2Education 409 Emergency 2Project / NGO 250Ordering Supplies / Stocks 249 SAMPLE SIZE 4547 emailsHealth / Medical 235Travel 201Church 167Finance and Banking 157Other/Unknown 49 Construction 49School fee 43Sports 30 Government Administration 18Lands and Titles 17Agriculture 9Fisheries 6Women issue 5

Reasons for communicatingReasons for communicating

These are the results from daily reports sent from PFnet community stations for 2003. The full data including user profiles is published on the PFnet web site at the address below.

www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet_stats.htm

Funding since Oct 2000 (US$)Funding since Oct 2000 (US$) Government of Japan Government of Japan 140K140K NZAid NZAid 125K125K UNDP (direct)UNDP (direct) 66K66K UNDP (through SIDAPP)UNDP (through SIDAPP) 60K 60K Government of BritainGovernment of Britain 60K60K EU – supported 4 community stations directly EU – supported 4 community stations directly 32K32K Government of R.O.C.Government of R.O.C. 20K20K APDIPAPDIP 9K9K AusAid – supported 1 community directly AusAid – supported 1 community directly 8K8K OxfamOxfam 1K1K