A company, in collaboration with Costa Rican cooperative Sula Batsu developed this program on the strategic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for a Sustainable Economic Development (SED) in Central America; the client is Dutch non-governmental organization (NGO) HIVOS.
The research is realized in Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, amongst 38 partner organizations from HIVOS that work in the field of Sustainable Production, Renewable Energies, Microfinancing and ICT. Additionally, an analysis is done on ICT and SED issues in Central America based on secondary sources.
The most important research outcomes, which are also used to design the Central American program ReD-DES are:
A need to strengthen organizations through networking; creating a platform for information management; exchange of experience and knowledge.
A need to empower the most vulnerable populations so that their voices are heard and to close the gap between information resources used by target populations and the organizations that support them.
In sustainable production: a need for positioning and developing local, regional and international markets; creating fair and strong relationships between buyers and producers.
Giving the opportunity to use regional natural resources for renewable energy.
A need for a strategic gender approach, which implies increasing access and control of resources as well as decision-making power for women.
Credit
Marije van Lidth de Jeude with Kemly Camacho: "Inputs for the Formulation of a Regional Program of Information and Communication Technologies for Sustainable Economic Devolopment, Final Report Phase I" for HIVOS Central America.
Central America, 2007 - 2008.