How an innovative public library service used ICT to help improve farmers' access to markets in Colombia

Public Library Laboratorio del Espiritu, Colombia: ICT for rural development

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ABOUT THE RESOURCE

TYPE:
Case Study
AUTHOR:
EIFL-PLIP
DATE:
February 2013
DOCUMENT LANGUAGE:
English
OTHER LANGUAGES:

Two-page case study about the library's ICT for Rural Development service, which provides free access to the internet and computers, and ICT and e-literacy training for farmers. The service sparked interest in new income generating activities in farming communities in six villages in Colombia’s Antioquia district. Through the internet, a group of women farmers learnt how to make handbags from recycled cloth, and now meet every week at the library to research the internet for marketing opportunities. In just one year (2011/12) the library trained 130 people to use ICT.

The service was initiated with a grant from the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) in 2011. The case study is based on impact assessment by the library.