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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?