88008 Digital Libraries for the Poor Facilitating Bottom-Up Innovation through Video-based Learning Platform South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 Abstract Community-driven programs in South Asia have traditionally used local facilitators to disseminate information and external best- practices. However, the massive scale of these programs has made this strategy both a time-consuming and an expensive exercise. Livelihoods Projects in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand & Madhya Pradesh have piloted an innovative ICT based Rural Digital Libraries project in collaboration with Digital Green, a non-profit organization in India. Digital Green trains members of local communities about group facilitation, videography and basic video production. These videographers create digital content locally, highlighting both internal and external best practices. The videos are stored at the village level (and also uploaded on youtube) creating a local and online digital library and are disseminated widely through a network of village resource people using low-cost pico-projectors. These libraries are a decentralized, localized solution that combines the This series will share learnings from institutional platform with a digital knowledge platform to create innovative usage of Information and multiple nodes of communication and learning in rural communities Communication Technology(ICT) in across the country. These localized solutions are created by face-to rural livelihoods projects in South Asia face experiments by communities empowering them and improving . Several mobile-based and software the adoption rate of new technologies. Initial results have shown that related applications have removed this approach can triple the adoption rate compared to traditional information asymmetry, captured loca extension systems at one-fifth the cost. With more than 150,000 l and indigenous knowledge, improv small and marginal farmers in India participating at village-level ed feedback loops, built payment gatewa video screenings, rural digital libraries offer a promising solution ys, and created cost-effective digital con for faster and more accessible livelihood knowledge sharing and tent for the poor. These innovations hav extension in geographically dispersed communities. Leveraging a e led to improvements in transaction video production and screening platform, community organizations efficiency, digitally empowered poo have started to develop a localized, scalable model for agricultural r, enriched Management Information extension, financial literacy, health and nutritional awareness and Systems (MIS), and built an efficien technology and livelihood training. t way of disseminating knowledge. Eventu ally, they have enabled localization of technologies and unleashed the inherent entrepreneurial ability of poo r to achieved significant development outcomes. Authors: Abhishek Gupta, Parmesh Shah & Priya Surya Context In spite of a high GDP growth over Figure 1: Participatory Bottom-Up Knowledge Creation the past decade1 over 350 million individuals in rural India live below Training & Visit Extension with Video Community Digital the poverty line. Various community Library driven development programs2have been addressing issues related to rural poverty reduction and inclusive growth, through Information community-managed social and economic inclusion and livelihood promotion to the last-mile. Central Excluded Community to achieving these objectives is a Participation Platform powerful and transformative change Relevant Information in the role of the State from top-down provider of services, to a facilitator of community-led initiatives. Typically these projects mobilize poor women User Communities into self-help groups and federate these groups further at the village, (1) Majority are excluded (1) Top down information (1) Users contribute to from external and internal on external practices localized information sub-district, and district level. In knowledge may not be relevant to all relevant to their context addition, common livelihoods communities (2) Local experimentation (2) Community able to engage groups and producer groups are and innovation goes (2) Local adaptation and with digital materials on also mobilized on this institutional undocumented innovation from the demand community-level platform. is lost In agriculture for instance, traditionally knowledge has been provided challenge of establishing rapport unsuccessful in creating systemic through training-and-visit (T&V) with small farmers has meant impact because information presented programs that employs more than that they have largely worked is often irrelevant or too general to be 100,000 extension workers throughout with more affluent farmers that applied. India but only 40% of households have the resources necessary for However, dissemination of relevant have access to modern farming experimentation and change. external best practices at the scale technology3. But the sheer number of Television, radio, and other mass required to so many households, over households per worker, accountability media have also been used to address long distances and often difficult and monitoring concerns, and the this problem, but have been largely terrain, is both a costly and time consuming proposition for community resource persons4, staff, and end users. Even with an effective demand-driven extension program brings in powerful external best practices, much of the local adaptation, experimentation, and innovation created in situ remains with individual farmers without the tools to document and disseminate innovation created at the grassroots. 1 7.3 percent average growth between 2001 and 2010 2 (Bank 2009) 3 (Mittal 2012) 4 Community resource persons (CRPs) – selected members of the community who take on leadership positions on implementing major initiatives 2 South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 Meeting the Knowledge Gap through Video Recognizing the promise and proven solution at the village level, that can mobile device or via USB drive) and impact of a video-based platform to be used on-demand to create, share, store a digital library of knowledge, the documentation and dissemination and disseminate highly relevant and coordinate screenings with of localized knowledge, several information. SHGs, livelihood cooperatives, and community-driven livelihoods project village organization on timely and Small content creation teams, working have partnered with Digital Green, a relevant topics. Using a portable, with a portable battery-powered social enterprise that has pioneered battery-powered projector, screenings camcorder create digital content in providing agricultural extension take place at common buildings, locally, highlighting both internal through a peer-to-peer video-based where short videos are displayed and external best practices in various knowledge platform. Several World with trained mediators, followed by thematic priorities. These short videos Bank supported projects such as Indira a Q&A regarding the demonstrated are then disseminated widely through Kranthi Pratham5 in Andhra Pradesh practice. Video content consists of a network of village entrepreneurs. and Jeevika6 in Bihar have already technical demonstrations, discussions, Each community entrepreneur, started operations and enlisted and or success stories of best practices typically a self-help group7 member trained mediators at the village-level. in topics relevant to participating from the community stores a digital The Digital Library project builds on groups. library of video and other media at this partnership to create an end- the village level. Her main role is to Till now, Digital Green has scaled to-end knowledge management obtain (through direct download by to 2,400 villages in South Asia and Africa8. In addition to agricultural Figure 2: Screen shots of a sowing demonstration video by local extension, Digital Green will utilize farmers video-based training across multiple types of interventions under these Method of projects such as, financial inclusion, Wheat Sowing in social mobilization, public health, nutrition, as well as livestock and dairy SWI production. This unique partnership xsagwW dh ;l-MCyw-vkbZ- fof/ esa has the potential to make community mobilization and service delivery even cqokbZ dk rjhdk more cost-effective by connecting the Digital Green platform with community-driven rural development approaches that are already using technical trainers, extension staff, and community intermediaries. The Digital Library project is managed primarily by community institutions— Self-Help groups and their federations, with capacity building and support from the project staff of IKP and Seed Treatment before sowing Maintaining Proper Distance whole Sowing 5 visit http://www.serp.ap.gov.in/ for more details 6 visit http://brlp.in/ for more detailsx 7 A typical self-help group comprises 10-15 women from the poorest of the poor and the poor. The members meet atleast once a week, collect savings and maintain books of accounts. Representatives from several groups are further federated into village organizations. 8 Currently the organization is funded by a 3-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition to the Gates Foundation funding, the World Bank and Government partners have contributed to the cost of CRPs, Sowing of seeds Covering the seeds with soil after sowing equipment for the project and training costs. South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 3 Figure 3: Leveraging the Community Institutional Platform y )HGHUDWHVDURXQGVXE y )HGHUDWHVDERXW92V y 5HSUHVHQWVDERXW GLVWULFWIHGHUDWLRQV   &RRUGLQDWHVZLWKGLVWULFW  6+*V y ,QWURGXFHVH[WHUQDOEHVW  )HGHUDWLRQDQGJRYW y $UUDQJHV/LQHVRI SUDFWLFHYLGHRV  y 0HPEHUVHDFK y 8SORDGV0,6GDWD  FUHGLWVIRU6+*V y &RRUGLQDWHVWUDLQLQJ y 3RROVDYLQJWRREWDLQ  'RZQORDGVDQGWDJVYLGHRV SULRULWLHV  FUHGLWOLQH 9LOODJH 6XEGLVWULFW 6XEGLVWULFW 6HOI²+HOS 2UJDQL]DWLRQV )HGHUDWLRQ )HGHUDWLRQ *URXSV 6+*V DQG 3URGXFHU 6+*6 9LOODJH 9LGHR (QWUHSUHQHXU 3URGXFWLRQ 8QLWV y 3DUWLFLSDWHLQZHHNO\ VFUHHQLQJV  y (QWUHSUHQHXUFRRUGLQDWHVZLWK6+* y 6WRU\ERDUGUHFRUGDQGHGLW9LGHRRI y 3URYLGHIHHGEDFNRQ JURXSWRVFKHGXOHVFUHHQLQJVREWDLQV GHPRQVWUDWLRQEHVWSUDFWLFHVDQG  FRQWHQWDQGTXDOLW\ IHHGEDFN GLVFXVVLRQOHGE\H[SHUWWUDLQHUV  y 0HGLDWHVVRPHVFUHHQLQJDQGSURYLGHV y 7RSLFVDUHFRRUGLQDWHGE\6XEGLVWULFW UHVRXUFHVIRU92PHGLDWRUVLQRWKHU DQGGLVWULFWRIILFHUVDFFRUGLQJWR WRSLFV IHHGEDFNDQGSULRULWLHV y 'RZQORDGVILOHYLDPRELOHGHYLFHRU REWDLQVIURPVXEGLVWULFWRIILFH  Jeevika and Digital Green provides technological and implementation support. Figure 3 explains how community institutions are leveraged to scale-up this technology. Leveraging existing institutional knowledge and capacity. The Digital Library project draws on existing community federations to provide end-to-end support to both the creation and dissemination of relevant knowledge through digital media. The Table below provides a snapshot of the key achievement in the World Bank supported projects. For capturing local innovations and best practices, individual farmers and village organizations can inform their digital librarians to showcase their innovation and results in a digital video. For the provision of external best practices, district and sub-district 4 South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 federations provide domain experts Figure 4: Hub and Spoke Model of Implementation such as agronomists, veterinarians, technology trainers, vocational teachers, and others. A locally trained video production unit storyboards and record videos with the use of a basic camcorder and an external The Digital Library project builds on this partnership to create an end-to-end knowledge management solution at the village level, that can be used on-demand to create, share, and disseminate highly relevant State–level Coordination Block level Video Production Village-level Screening and QSA information. and Post Production Hub-and-spoke model enables edited and finalized at a center, such as operations to scale easily. When the district or block office. See Figure 4 entering into a new district, 3-6 for a schematic on the hub-and-spoke video content producers from model. microphone. After production, the community organization with content is edited and streamlined for Selection of Digital Librarians. Village aptitude and interest are selected by screening. The video is then uploaded mediators are typically selected based village and sub-district federations on to Connect Online-Connect Offline on communication abilities, interest and trained by Digital Green to lead (COCO) platform from where it can be and ability to engage across divisions content production. Videos may downloaded via mobiles or handheld in their community, and local language feature various topics within each devices or manually transferred via literacy. Mostly these are women thematic category. For instance, in USB drives from sub-district offices, members of SHGs and are equipped agricultural extension, topics may vary which have more reliable connectivity. with portable projectors that conduct from production of organic inputs to a minimum of three screenings per At the dissemination end, the village grain storage,according to the season, week with various producer groups. resource person coordinates with and the needs and variations of the The initial training for the mediator producer groups, SHGs, and village local community. Videos are produced takes about 3-4 days and is primarily organizations to obtain and screen throughout the district with various focused on building communication videos relevant to the season. farmers and experts but are then skills—such as public speaking, asking and answering questions, capturing audience interest, following Table 1: Key Statistics for World Bank supported projects 9 up with community members after State Viewers Villages Videos Produced video screenings, and operating Andhra Pradesh 43355 413 72 the equipment. Follow-up training each quarter is used to observe how Bihar 74673 621 211 mediators are developing their skills Jharkhand 72 1 1 and to provide additional support. Madhya Pradesh 2212 46 9 In some projects, a performance- India 120312 1081 293 based honorarium is provided based on mutually agreed set of target 9 (Green, Connect Online-Connect Offline (COCO) n.d.) metrics in return for mediation South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 5 Figure 5: Attendance for 13 Villages in Jharkhand that began in SEPTEMBER 2009 800 700 600 Farmer Attendance 500 400 300 200 100 0 Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. 2 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jly. Aug. Sep. 2009 2009 2009 009 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 services. Trained community resource rechargeable battery-operated persons and staff with agricultural or video equipment and portable livelihood expertise at the block level lithium-ion battery-powered shall conduct monthly or biweekly projectors. Extra batteries are kept meetings with the mediators in their with each device to provide for geography to review progress, analyze sufficient use before it needs Connectivity community feedback, plan for the to be recharged. Recharging COCO: Overcoming l Areas next screening (e.g., anticipating the options in off-grid villages Challenges in Rura questions the community might ask). include transporting the device connectivity, to a nearby village or town that In areas with poor net rvey data or Meeting energy challenges with is connected to the grid or solar uploading extensive su be a debilitating rechargeable and solar equipment. panels on a weekly basis. media-rich videos can el. Inconsistent power supply in challenge at the field lev rural areas is overcome by using Once edited, metadata for nnect Offline the video (for example: title, The Connect Online Co created by practice, seasonality, geography) open source platform users to use the is uploaded onto the COCO Digital Green enables sly, and only platform. The digital video file application continuou when a user is is then copied onto multiple requires connectivity Thus far, more than 2,600 th the global memory cards, which are given ready to synchronize wi data repository. videos of 8-10 minutes each to village mediators at biweekly/ work can be monthly review meetings. The This customizable frame have been created. The global video files are then uploaded used to upload baselin e survey data, m the field, digital library is also organized onto YouTube and then linked photos and videos fro Engineering with Digital Green’s global video without the need of IT/ into various thematic categories ailable at library10. Thus far, more than staff. Free download av ech 2,600 videos of 8-10 minutes each www.digitalgreen.org/t and project partners. This highly have been created. The global tics function A second layer of analy interactive library can be accessed digital library is also organized then enables easy analy sis and tagging into various thematic categories n. For more by anybody with an internet of uploaded informatio and project partners11. This highly it http://www. information, please vis connection interactive library can be accessed s/overview_ digitalgreen.org/analytic id=1 module?geog=country& 10 (Green, Digital Green’s Global video library n.d.) 11 The website also has an activity feed of various partners giving a snap-shot of activity related to that community. 6 South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 Figure 6: Farmer attendance at 64 village centers in Madhya Pradesh12 25000 20000 15000 Attendance 10000 Attendance 5000 0 Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jly. Aug. Sep. 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 by anybody with an internet Self-Help Groups and producer Mediating video screenings allow for connection13. cooperatives regularly take part in discussion and learning. Individual both content creation and screenings groups attend the mediated video Sequencing implementation to build in groups. By specifically targeting screenings at a specified time and interest. In order to gain acceptance existing and reinforcing existing place each week. Mediators also from farmers, the service is showcased social networks, Digital Green has record details of attendance, questions in an initial village gathering, and seen increased adoption rates among asked, interests expressed, and the interested farmers are invited to farmer groups, rather than working practices that farmers adopt for record new content with community with unassociated individuals. themselves on their fields. This data resource persons trained in audio and Seasonality is a factor for relevance is recorded initially on paper forms by video recording. After post-production of content, but as seen in Figure 6 the mediator and then digitized on edits are completed at the block level, and Figure 7, interest and attendance the connect-online-connect-offline informal screenings focus on multiple among farmers tends to vary (COCO) platform. peer groups, who in turn bring in throughout the year, not necessarily greater community participation (See according to season. Figure 5). Figure 7: Expressed interest in the program in Madhya Pradesh 6000 5000 4000 Expressed interest 3000 2000 1000 0 Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jly. Aug. Sep. 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 12 Based on Digital Greens Internal Data from 487 villages in Madhya Pradesh. 13 These videos are about to reach almost 1 million views. South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 7 Cost Effectiveness and Impact Different organizations have partnered Table 2: Cost savings and adoption rates in 2 NGO partner programs with Digital Green and have used (2012) community mediators to substitute for existing extension trainings and Extension System Cost Adoption15 Cost/ farmer field schools to reach more (%) Adoption people. PRADAN, a national NGO PRADAN $605 16% $10.24 focused on community mobilization PRADAN+ Digital Green $288 49% $2.51 and livelihood promotion, has VARRAT $636 20% $17.64 experienced significant cost savings VARRAT+ Digital Green $712 48% $3.56 by substituting part-time mediators Note: Cost and adoption rates are shown on a per village per year basis and video programming through The main cost component in these calculations is the amortized per village cost of the partner organization’s full-time Digital Green for field visits made by professional extension officers. The projectors, which are now used ubiquitously throughout the project, cost about US$175 per unit. These compact, mobile-devices with rechargeable batteries have now replaced the more expensive and professional extension officers. In cumbersome TV/DVD systems in all recent villages. contrast, VARRAT, a local NGO is using the video platform as a supplementary Adoption rates are almost 50 percent year of providing extension services service, so the additional costs are under the Digital Greens method, to villages varies, but is consistently added to their existing costs. However, much higher than the traditional lower in terms of cost/adoption. despite the higher-cost model that method. (see Table 2 above).14 The cost per village per year varies VARRAT has adopted, both methods significantly between the two NGOs have experienced similar impact in Depending on the mode of studied because of differences in terms of farmer adoption of new engagement, NGOs have seen the way each partner integrates a methods (data gathered by mediators, significant cost savings. Table 2 video platform within their existing with 20-30% externally audited). shows that the cost per village per extension system. 14 Digital Green plans to conduct a more rigorous randomized control trial in Bihar in 2014 to evaluate how changes in particular program design affects adoption and changes in income going forward. 15 Adoption rates defined here is the ratio of the no of practices adopted by farmers and no of practices demonstrated to them. These are not unique viewers adopting any practice. 8 South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 Figure 8: Participation Under Female left represents the most recent in their community for knowledge on Mediators is higher for Groups and summer season data from all improved practices. Several mediators Individuals Digital Green-assisted project have become local leaders. sites, when participation is The video producers are typically usually highest. Though there 14.1 13.9 selected based on their experience in were only 110 female mediators working with partner organizations compared to 272 male mediators in the past—usually as a community Female during the months of June intermediary for their existing mediator through August 2011, female interventions. They gain technical Male mediators drew consistently knowledge of operating camera mediator greater number of group and equipment, transforming often- Attendance non-group members to their complex agricultural information into screenings. video-based modules, developing Local entrepreneurs gain communication and facilitation 2.6 marketable skills and self- 1.6 confidence. The mediators are a diverse group: gender, age, Average Avg. Non-group socioeconomic background, and Group members members agricultural expertise. But overall, Digital Green mediators develop Based on a 13-month trial both their communication conducted in Karnataka, Digital as well as technical abilities Adoption rates are high compared to Green observed that its approach through the process of facilitating alternate extension methods. Based the screening of the videos. They increased the adoption of certain on a 13-month trial conducted in often become early adopters of the Karnataka, Digital Green observed that practices that they show to prove its agriculture practices seven-fold its approach increased the adoption of viability for themselves and to work certain agriculture practices seven-fold through possible issues. They gain over a classic Training and Visit- over a classic Training and Visit-based (T&V) extension approach16. It has the technical knowledge of how based (T&V) extension approach. to operate the Pico projectors and shown to be ten times more effective develop their communication abilities per dollar spent than a classical more broadly. The mediators also extension system17. develop self-confidence through the Women’s participation is high. process of becoming resource persons Majority of participants (71%)18 that attend screenings are women and typically belong to groups. Depending on partner organizations, participation can range from all men groups, to more than 90% female participation. The SHGs have a role in selecting the mediator in their village. But overall participation of groups and non-group individuals seems to be higher under female mediators. The graph on the 16 The trial had eight control and eight experimental villages balanced on parameters such as size and mix of crops, and a total of 1,470 households were tracked. Results can be found in Gandhi et al. (2009).These are preliminary results and a rigorous randomized trial is underway. 17 Investments included performance-based honoraria for local facilitators, a shared TV and DVD player in each village, and one digital camcorder and PC shared across the project area. 18 This is the average for Digital Greens. As NRLM facilitates women-only institutions, women participation for NRLM is almost 100 percent South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 9 skills. The video producers often continue in their role in the other types of activities (e.g., farmer field schools, demonstration plots) that may be conducted by community organizations. Obtaining and integrating feedback. While scaling ambitiously, the Digital Library projectmust focus on assuring The video producers are typically selected based on their experience in working with partner improve feedback capture if videos are financial literacy, technology training organizations in the past—usually rated at the village-level immediately and creating health awareness after screening. Some randomized among others. While video screenings as a community intermediary mechanisms can also be used where has shown high rates of success for their existing interventions. particular members of the audience for technical demonstration of marked as present during a screening agricultural practices, rate of success They gain technical knowledge can be asked for their feedback via may vary for applications such as of operating camera equipment, their own mobile phones. financial literacy which may be more conceptual than technical and where transforming often-complex Impact may vary for different the level of familiarity with the context applications. For community-driven may vary. Particular applications agricultural information into projects, a video-based learning should be tested independently to video-based modules, developing platform presents a wide range of establish for which applications digital application possibilities including video can complement a conventional communication and facilitation community mobilization and self- approach, and where it can be skills. help group formation and training, substituted. both process and content quality. To maintain process quality, standard operating procedures are being developed for various aspects of the process, such as video production, dissemination, and is enhancing the training of trainers’ capacity with a dedicated core team that will capture learning and share best practices across locations. With regard to content quality, continuous end user feedback needs to be integrated in observed metrics to monitor quality of the content that is produced and evaluate the impact that it makes. The use of mobile devices can also 10 South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 Digital Knowledge 2.0 for the Rural Poor By enabling users to create and access a large store of relevant information, an accessible digital platform can 5 Steps to Digital Library Implementation have powerful implications for rural 1. Create awareness regarding new program through a major communities. launch across the state Highlight and promote bottom- 2. Strengthen capacity across all thematic areas to use the digital up innovation. Localized video library platform as a supplemental tool for knowledge creation and dissemination production teams work with village and sub-district federations to identify 3. Prioritize a program of knowledge dissemination priorities (i.e. Community-Managed Sustainable Agriculture, Nutrition and homegrown innovators, success Health, etc) stories, best practices that can be 4. Select, train, and equip network of video producers and village- documented and circulated within level entrepreneur those communities. Furthermore, 5. Integrate feedback captured via MIS to maintain quality and video challenges and competitions scale to other applications judging best videos in terms of content and quality, and partnerships with local channels to air these videos can provide further incentives for participation. Mobile capabilities expand access and interaction opportunities. As connectivity becomes commonplace, files may be downloaded remotely and via data-enabled cell phones and This granular information from the professionals and staff to maintain a other mobile devices. Given that rural individual level extending across large library of information to use as monitoring and support programs are entire states can provide a broader needed. This decentralized structure now beginning to widely employ data- and more accurate picture of content means that videos, documents, based functions over mobiles, states relevance and impact than feedback photos, and other media can be like Andhra Pradesh could be ready for data collected manually by mediators, transferred easily, lowering costs of remotely connected digital libraries. which may be limited and prone to copying and distributing content. errors. Individual farmer level feedback. Rural libraries can complement Quality and relevance of content, as Digital librarian and CRPs have a existing livelihood activities. By well as adoption rates can also be shelf of relevant videos they can draw reducing the cost and increasing the obtained directly from participants from on-demand. The affordability of speed in the delivery of information, equipped with mobile phones. the digital format allows community community resource persons and field assistants can use this knowledge tool to complement face to face training to build awareness, training, and capacity within communities. Create new livelihood opportunities for people on the ground. As SHG women and youth become involved in creating, maintaining and disseminating digital content, viable and sustainable sources of income are created for entrepreneurial citizens of the community. Their communication skills and self-confidence are also improved through the practice of mediating discussions and trainings South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series Volume 1 | Note 1 11 South Asia Livelihoods Challenges Innovations in ICT Series The Digital Green’s technological approach has not yet been fully integrated into volume 1 no. 1 the public sector’s extension systems. Currently, it has limited associations with the wider agricultural community and efforts need to be made to embed this About the authors approach deeper into the government’s agriculture systems. Abhishek Gupta is a Consultant with the The vast amount of data being generated from the communities has not yet World Bank integrated well with the decision support system of the projects, and the Parmesh Shah is a Lead Rural knowledge from this data needs to be utilized better. Development Specialist in South Asia The costs of operations are currently funded by grants, and a sustainable business Sustainable Development at the World model has not been explored. In the future, the organization should consider Bank. devising innovative revenue models such as user-fees etc. Priya Surya was a Consultant with the The hardware being used by Digital Greens can be further upgraded and the World Bank number of gadgets being operated by the communities can be reduced. For This note has been reviewed by instance, adoption of latest mobile technology can integrate peco projector and Aparajita Goyal, Eija Pehu and Natasha camera into a single device. Beschorner. The authors would Digital Green’s communications technology can also be applied to other sectors like to thank the reviewers for their and the organization has already taken initial steps towards it by making nutrition comments. videos. However, the vertical expansion should strive to convert the local Photo Courtesy: Digital Green facilitator into a one-stop shop of knowledge provider for that village, which will be a challenging task. South Asia Livelihoods Innovations in ICT Series is facilitated by the Rural Development and Livelihoods Bibliography Unit in the South Asia Sustainable Development Department of the World Bank, The World. World Bank: Rural Livelihoods. April 14, 2009. http://www.worldbank.org/ Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington rurallivelihoods (accessed April 15, 2013). DC 20433, USA. The findings, Bornstein, David. “Where YouTube Meets the Farm.” Opinionator: Exclusive Online Commentary from the Times. New York: The New York Times, April 3, 2013. interpretations, and conclusions Gandhi, Rikin, Rajesh Veeraraghavan, Kentaro Toyama, and Vanaja Ramprasad. “Digital Green: expressed in this note are entirely Participatory Video and Mediated Instruction for Agricultural Extension.” Information Technologies & those of the author(s) and should International Development, 2009: 1-15. not be attributed in any manner Green, Digital. Connect Online-Connect Offline (COCO). http://www.digitalgreen.org/technology to the World Bank, to its affiliated (accessed April 29, 2014). —. Digital Green Channel on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/user/digitalgreen1 (accessed April 15, organizations or to members of its 2013). Board of Executive Directors or the —. Digital Green’s Global video library. http://digitalgreen.org/analytics/video_ countries they represent. search/?videouploaded=1 (accessed April 15, 2013). —. Digtial Green. www.digitalgreen.org (accessed April 15, 2013). The authors would like to thank Mittal, Surabhi. Modern ICT for Agricultural Development and Risk Management in Smallholder. Socio- the Department for International Economics Working Paper 3, Mexico: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, 2012. Development, Government of the UK, for their generous contribution that made the research, writing, and production of this note possible For further details or additional copies of this note contact agupta20@worldbank.org