In this context, this paper aims at presenting some possible solutions for integrating the ICTs into the rural community development.

Even thought there were 406,000 Internet users as of September 2005, which represents 10.6% of the population, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), almost all of them were concentrated in the urban areas (data provided by the National Regulatory Agency in Telecommunications and Informatics of Moldova).

Today, almost every village in the country has at least one computer available for public use. During the last years, there have been implemented several programs the aim of which was to open computer classes in the rural schools. These initiatives were supported by Moldova Soros Foundation, World Bank, Ministry of Education and other Agencies. All the rural areas can have access to Internet at least through the dial-up connection. Regardless of this, the number of ICT users in the rural communities of Moldova is extremely low.

I think this phenomena is still happening now due to several causes:

1. the rural community representatives do not see the value of the ICTs for their personal and professional growth;
2. the rural community is not aware of the advantages the ICTs can bring for its development;
3. there are no Moldovan specialized websites in Romanian language in various fields: services, production, health, economy, education, etc.
4. there are no local model leaders in utilizing the ICTs (lack of some good practices at the community level);
5. public institutions do not offer online services;
6. other.

In this context, several solutions can be identified and proposed for implementation in the rural communities of Moldova in order to increase the number of ICT users:

1. Conduct needs-assessment (interviews, surveys, local meetings, etc.) in order to define the needs of the rural communities;
2. Organizing awareness raising campaigns in order to sensitize the population of a rural community of the possible uses of the Internet services for solving their specific needs. The campaign can be done in various ways: posters, fliers distributed in the community; through the local newspaper, radio, TV, etc.
3. A local ICT coordinator should be appointed within each rural community. The coordinator should report to the Mayor of the rural community. The coordinator’s main responsibilities would include: maintaining community’s website; providing technical training for the community users: local businesses, Women, Youth, group minorities representatives; involving Youth in collecting data for the community website; other;
4. Identify and support potential local model users and promote the best practices;

Actions to be taken at the district level:

1. The results of the needs-assessment conducted within the rural communities should be processed and transmitted to various institutions: public, private, NGOs, trade unions, church, etc. – depending on the problem or need addressed by the specific rural community;
2. The local ICT coordinators re-address on a weekly basis any problem or issue to the institutions capable to respond: NGO, public institution, district business, etc.

The above actions are just tentative solutions to the existent problem: that of lack of ICT users in the rural communities of Moldova. These solutions can be implemented in various ways:

1. Elaborating and implementing small projects (from 6 months to 1 year) for each solution provided. These projects can be tested simultaneously in several rural communities (for e.g. North, Center, South) and implemented by the already existent NGOs, after these receive special training and funds for the implementation ;
2. Elaborating and implementing all the solutions provided in only one or two rural communities (for e.g. North and South). These activities would be part of the same project implemented simultaneously in the 2 rural communities by an already functioning NGO. The duration of the project is 1 year. The final evaluation of the project will make recommendations vis-à-vis the sustainability of this program as well as will guide on how can it be better replicated in other rural communities.
3. Elaborating and implementing a program at the National/district/region level. The aim of this program would be to develop the rural community through the use of ICT. The main objective being to increase the number of the ICT users within the rural communities. This program would come to supplement the already existent initiatives in the country: E-Governance, E-Moldova, and other ICT related developmental programs. The duration of the program would be 3 years with the possibility of extending it. There will be a national NGO to coordinate, implement and evaluate the program.

It is important to mention that all these initiatives also open possibilities for assessing the impact of access to knowledge obtained through the Internet on the development of the local communities of Moldova and elaborate further actions for improving the situation. Today assessing the A2K is beyond the framework of measurement.

At the moment, ICTs are crucial for the development of the rural communities of Moldova. ICTs impact should be fast and perceptible, should be assessed through quantitative tools and should contribute to the economical integration of the country in the global economy.

References:

Richardson, D. (1997) The Internet and rural and agricultural development: an integrated approach. Chapter 3: Who’s doing what and where? How did Internet become such a decentralized “people’s network”? available from http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/W6840E/w6840e03.htm [Accessed June 26, 2006];

Government of the Republic of Moldova, UNPD Report E-Readiness Moldova, 2004 Chapter 2.2 Access: Internet Service, pp.18-21