Digital Reach

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weather predictions. These will include warnings for drought

and hoarfrost, assessment of vegetation, soil temperature and

moisture. Meanwhile, most of the information flow is top-

down and different for each county according to available

infrastructure, as through voice, fax and e-mail communica-

tion. The bottom-up information flow started in Tsagaanuur

in July.

Community Digital Centres (CDCs)

Proposed CDCs are intended to assist herders and farmers by

providing regular information on weather, climate, hazards, phys-

ical parameters of pasture and crop fields, yields, vegetation

biomass and its relation with animal bodyweight and bio-capac-

ity that is detailed and specified by county territories. Secondly,

the CDCs are intended to assist the local government and public

organizations. Another purpose they have is to empower the local

community by providing true and comprehensive information

and ways to enable participation in socioeconomic and environ-

mental systems assessment, analysis, open forums, planning and

decision making.

In addition, businesses can provide information and ICT tools

to reach the rural market, manage businesses in rural areas and

increase the quality of services. Lastly, it is a great challenge for

the ICT industry and research and development institutions to

develop and provide digital content, software, application tools,

hardware, and infrastructure.

Initial steps towards the creation of a prototype for CDCs started

in 2004 in three counties across two provinces, with the effort and

valuable contribution of different sectors. Unfortunately, funding

for the regular operation of such centres became more problem-

atic without a sustainable business model.

The main users of CDCs will be the local government, herders’

cooperatives, farmers, SMEs and public. They know the impor-

tance of the information service for a healthy, safe and secure life

as well as education and businesses. However, they are not able

to pay for the service unless their income reaches a level to afford

it. Therefore, the e-Soum project has to define a self-sustainable

business model for an information market based on the concept

of a digital network system. It needs to develop and pilot a proto-

type using the existing telecommunication infrastructure and

based on public and private partnership, advances in informa-

tion technology, international best practices, initiatives, findings

and achievements of stakeholders, indigenous knowledge and

the skills of rural people.

Several lessons have been learnt from these exercises. The

system designed for disaster risk reduction is not sustainable by

itself. It should be enriched and incorporated within the broader

context of economic and social developments to attract those in

governance, business and social development sectors. In addi-

tion, the small size of the market and limited capacity of local

businesses requires:

• A strong government commitment, supporting policy, and

leadership and coordination of ICT developments in govern-

ment organizations

• Donors and international organizations’ support for funding

of developments, technology transfer and capacity building

• A well developed national platform and coordinated public

and private partnership for the investment, development and

sustainable operation of such a system

• There is no market for competition; therefore a well-coordi-

nated collaboration to share knowledge and technology, and

to share cost and profit might be basic rule to be followed here.

Enkhbayar, aged 12 is a herder who breeds sheep and goats. He lives 45 km from the county centre.

Can we reach him by modern telecommunication?