Information & Communication Technologies and African Development

The workshop will feature a set of general talks by social and computer scientists on ICT and African Development as platforms for discussion the opportunities and challenges that ICT presents for African Development.

The goal of the workshop is to bring together a wide range of researchers and practitioners broadly interested in the topic of development and encourage future collaborations.

Each of the six sessions will feature two to three short presentations, each followed by a longer discussion on the research possibilities and challenges of the area.

• WiRE Architecture: A New Rural Cellular Network Architecture – Matt Tierney
• Data over GSM: Changing the Mobile Voice into Data – Aditya Dhananjay
• Economics of Connectivity – Bharat Rao

10:35-11:30 Session 2: Microfinance Strategies and Solutions

• Mobile Money: The MPESA Revolution in Kenya – Isaac Mbiti
• Technologies for New Microfinance Models – Ashlesh Sharma

11:30- 12:15 Session 3: Portfolios of the Poor – Jonathan Morduch

12:15-1:15 Lunch

1:15 – 2:30 Session 4: Applications of ICT

• ICT and Education – Christopher Hoadley
• Using ICT in Agriculture – William Amponsah
• Sustainable Rural Power Solutions – Meredith Hasson

2:45-3:45  Session 5: ICT Adoption and Business Models

• The Diffusion of Technology – Mina Baliamoune
• Challenges in Implementing ICT innovations – Edward Kutsoati

4:00-5:15 PM Session 6: ICT and Sustainable Healthcare

• Low-cost Diagnostics Solutions: Daniel Malamud
• On field Experiences with Rural Healthcare: Prabhjot Dhadialla
• Towards Sustainable mHealth: Lakshmi Subramanian

5:15-5:45 Concluding Remarks and Thoughts  (Mwangi)