Accessing information and undertaking communication with other development actors is vital to good development. In the last few years Gamos has investigated the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Development.

Whether it is providing rural telecom in remote areas or designing and assessing community telecentres and video production units for poverty reduction Gamos has built itself a steady reputation for being one of the front runners in this field. From South Africa to Mexico to Cambodia Gamos works with both indigenous and international partners in researching, trialing and assessing the Information and Communication for Development components of projects.

Gamos notes that 'content' is equally if not more important than 'access'. Getting the poor access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will have no relevance unless there is content delivered through that technology that has application to the life and livelihoods of the poor. Resulting from early ICT studies this view of content has led Gamos to promote 'ICT content' within the development sector.

Gamos is not committed to any particular technology although Gamos is currently championing the use of Digital Video. We believe that DV has made a leap, similar to that of typewriters to word processors. We also believe that it holds good potential for creating local content. In the recent past the production of video was constrained by the need for professional camera crews, editing suites, limitations on the number of copies, and the associated expense. The expense meant that the resulting videos tended to be either for international advocacy or national educational campaigns. Delivery of video to communities was also constrained by the technology. Digital cameras now make it reasonable for development organisations to produce their own videos in house, in local language and for a limited LOCAL audience.

Gamos has developed training courses in local production and delivery of digital video for development education - health, agriculture, livelihoods etc.

Gamos holds a framework agreement with DFID to provide expertise in the area of information and communication for development, for more details can be found at http://www.ic4dev.org/

Project so far include:

• 06/07, DFID, ICD knowledge and sharing
• 06/07, DFID, Catia Monitoring and Evaluation, Africa
• 05, DFID, Community television for the poor – a scoping study (R8351), Africa, South America
• Feb 03, IICD, Local Content Health Uganda (ICT)
• July 01 Mar 03, DFID (via Big World), Digital bridges for vocational and educational training (VET)
• Oct 01 Mar 03, DFID R8069, Innovative demand models for telecommunications services
• Oct 01 July 02, DFID R8067, Sustainable ICT case histories
• Aug 2001 DFID, IXPs in Africa
• Apr 00 Mar 03, DFID (via Big World), Community telecentres for urban youth
• Aug 00 Mar 02, DFID R7792, E-commerce options for third world craft producers
• Jul 00 Nov 00, DFID, Short Term Support on ICT & Development