The Participatory Web - New Potentials of ICT in Rural Areas

The Participatory Web - New Potentials of ICT in Rural Areas

This document provides a systematic overview of Web 2.0 experiences made to date in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and explores the potential of the participatory web to improve living conditions in developing countries and regions. The report specifically documents the social networking aspects of Web 2.0 solutions that offer people in rural areas a platform for networking and knowledge exchange, and notes the general challenges of low connectivity, low literacy rates, lack of media competence to use the web and well functioning models to provide and target information. The report highlights projects that have started experimenting with the 'read and write web' and achieved new approaches to use information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D).

© GTZ Knowledge Systems in Rural Areas, 2008