Arid Lands Information Network ALIN

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Arid Lands Information Network(ALIN)
ICTs Climate Change Practical roles in
Adaptation Mitigation
Is a Network of over 2000 grassroots
development, workers (CDWs) drawn from NGOs,
CBOs as well as government departments, all
offering a form of extension service in their
fields of expertise.
Presented at the BCO Open Day 19th December
2008 By Raphael Marambii Innovation Knowledge
Management specialist
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Arid Lands Information Network(ALIN)
Is a Network of over 2000 grassroots
development, workers (CDWs) drawn from NGOs,
CBOs as well as government departments, all
offering a form of extension service in their
fields of expertise.
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Core bizzMissionVision

• To facilitate information exchange among
  communities
• To enhance livelihoods of communities through
  information exchange
• A knowledge-driven society

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EASTERN AFRICA REGION
CENTER LOCATIONS
ALINs COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE CENTER LOCATIONS
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ALIN Focus on the Semi-Arid and Arid Dry lands

• The project focuses on the dry areas of Kenya,
  semi-arid to arid, pastoral and agro-pastoralist
• Areas are chronically food insecure experiencing
  frequent food shortages and increased reliance on
  relief operations
• Are highly vulnerable to climate change effects

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• Advocacy and Visibility
• Providing technical information on Climate change
  adaptation strategies
• Providing alternative livelihoods especially for
  the youth
• Enabling participatory community monitoring,
  reporting lobbying to protect their
  environments

Practical Climate Change adaptation Mitigation
Roles of ICTs
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What we do
Info support
Capacity building
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How-to-do it publications

• Partnerships with research institutions to spread
  technologies that address food security.
• Information support- Development of small
  scale-drip irrigation manual
• Information on conservation farming techniques
• Video audio demos

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Providing Access to Knowledge

• In collaboration with other partners, we
  establish and equip Community Knowledge Centres
  (CKCs) with ICT equipment to enhance
• information access
• Local content creation and sharing
• and new skills development among rural
  communities.

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The Community Knowledge Centres

• Most centres powered by solar energy
• equipped with various appropriate ICT tools that
  include a computer, CD-ROMs, a worldspace radio,
  printer and GPRS modem card
• 3 Centers have now been connected via VSAT
  Broadband through collaboration with University
  of Michigan

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Use of Trusted Infomediaries

• These are the people who act as a source of
  information and knowledge for the rest of the
  community out of duty or social responsibility.
• Are of high social standing and regarded as
  knowledgeable
• Are trusted by communities
• Live and work within communities

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Sharing Knowledge via Farmer Forums

• Farmers forums organised to share experiences and
  knowledge
• farmers, local leaders, teachers and extension
  team attend the forums
• The forums offer a platform for participants to
  share info on various development issues
• ICTs will provide virtual exchange forums
  enabling scaling out of such benefits

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• We involve the Youth in knowledge activities
  at the CKCs.
• They assist in content creation and dissemination
• We are training youth on web 2.0 blogs,
  podcasting, and various digital media skills
• We are also training them as grass roots
  journalists
• This improves their skills and prepares them for
  the job market.

Young Infomediaries
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• ICTS can increase community visibility and get
  their voices heard on difficult issues
• ICTs can be developed as a hub facilitating
  various business and information services that
  help adaptation
• ICTs are especially useful to the youth exposing
  them to new skills and possibilities
• The use of multi media tools simplifys high level
  research findings enabling speedier adoption
• ICTs are important tools to facilitate climate
  change adaptation mitigation

Lessons Learned
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Thank You!
info_at_alin.or.ke www.alin.or.ke