Practical Insights on India

When Is the Best Time to Send IVR and SMS Messages to Farmers?

When Is the Best Time to Send IVR and SMS Messages to Farmers?

Published on: Jul 24 2019 by Guest Writer - Leave a Comment
While India‘s total fertiliser consumption is less than the global average, it is the second largest consumer of urea (a nitrogen based fertilizer) in the...
Did You Notice that Chad is Offline for a Year? It’s Not Alone

Did You Notice that Chad is Offline for a Year? It’s Not Alone

Published on: May 23 2019 by Wayan Vota - 14 Comments
I believe we all can agree that a government should not close off Internet access for its citizenry. To an extent, an open Internet should be a human right, and...
Why Does South Asia Have the World Largest Mobile Phone Gender Gap?

Why Does South Asia Have the World Largest Mobile Phone Gender Gap?

Published on: Feb 13 2019 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
Today in India, 67% of men own mobile phones, but only 33% percent of women do. South Asian countries in general are clear outliers among countries of similar levels...
FarmChat: Using Chatbots to Answer Farmer Queries in India

FarmChat: Using Chatbots to Answer Farmer Queries in India

Published on: Jan 02 2019 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
Speech-based conversational interfaces have several potential benefits for farmers and the ICTforAg professionals who support them: There is little requirement...
Are Government Water ATM Stations Really Pro-Poor?

Are Government Water ATM Stations Really Pro-Poor?

Published on: Dec 13 2018 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
There is no question that water ATMs – automated water dispensing units that can provide communities with 24/7 safe water access – are an intriguing...
Supervisory Applications: The Secret to Government Adoption Success

Supervisory Applications: The Secret to Government Adoption Success

Published on: Oct 10 2018 by Catholic Relief Services - 7 Comments
Arguably, the best option for digital development sustainability is for the government to fully adopt your technology intervention and integrate it into government...
1.5 Billion Reasons You Need A WhatsApp Business Strategy for Your Programs

1.5 Billion Reasons You Need A WhatsApp Business Strategy for Your Programs

Published on: Feb 21 2018 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
Facebook recently announced that WhatsApp has more than 1.5 billion monthly active users – 20% of the world’s population! – sending more than...
What Digital Development Future Do You Want to See in 2030?

What Digital Development Future Do You Want to See in 2030?

Published on: Feb 15 2018 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
What is the world you want to see in 2030? What do you want it to look like? I ask this question because I am concerned. I am worried. I am afraid. What will our...
Four Lessons Learned in Piloting Mobile Money for Paying 8 Million Work Days

Four Lessons Learned in Piloting Mobile Money for Paying 8 Million Work Days

Published on: Dec 11 2017 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Four Lessons Learned in Piloting Mobile Money for Paying 8 Million Work Days
From 2013 to 2016, I worked on a pilot to pay 8 million of work days in two districts in India through mobile money. The Government of Odisha in India decided to...
Is Zero-Rated Internet Access Connecting the Unconnected?

Is Zero-Rated Internet Access Connecting the Unconnected?

Published on: Aug 21 2017 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
As the debate around zero-rated services (like Facebook’s Free Basics, Twitter Access, and Wikipedia Zero) and other emerging mobile data models continues, data...
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