Title: Information and Communication Technology for Rural Development in the State of Texas, United States
1Information and Communication Technology for
Rural Development in the State of Texas, United
StatesWorkshop on Information and Communication
Technology for Science and Technology Innovation,
Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development
in Rural ChinaBeihai City, Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region, ChinaFebruary 18,
2008Robert WoodOffice of the Comptroller of
Public AccountsState of Texas
2Introduction to Texas
- Located in the Southern United States on the Gulf
of Mexico - Varied Topography and Mild Climate
3Introduction
- Texas
- 696,200 square kilometers
- Population of 23.5 million people
- 85 of the Texas population lives in urban areas
- Approximately 3.3 million people live in rural
areas
4In Comparison
- China has an area of 9,596,960 square kilometers
and a population of 1.3 billion people - Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has an area of
230,000 square kilometers of a population of 45
million people
5Barriers to Technology in Rural Areas
- Lack of Infrastructure
- low population density fewer users fewer
customers - Cost
- Assumption that rural people do not need (or
want) technology? - Aging population older residents are less
likely to adopt new technology
6Technology Projects in Texas
- Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund
- 1 billion USD over 10 years
- Schools, Libraries, Universities, Colleges
- Infrastructure
- Training
- Computers in schools
7Technology Projects in Texas
- Telemedicine
- University Health Science Center Began in 1990,
serves an area about the size of Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region - Connects rural clinics to University Medical
Doctors - Serves rural hospitals, rural clinics and schools
8Technology Projects in Texas
- Distance Education and Workforce Training
- Consortiums of universities and colleges
- Reaches rural areas across the state
- Supported by 28 workforce regions with local
offices - Allows continuing education for adults in the
workforce or agriculture
9Technology Projects
- Creating an Online Community
- www.thebeehive.org
- A public, private philanthropic partnership
- Online community development applications that
are useful health, employment, community
issues, education - Provides training and connections that make
technology accessible
10Lessons Learned
- Create demand
- Begin locally - provide what the community
wants - Agriculture - technology, markets and regulation
- Education
- Healthcare
- Entertainment
- Employment and Entrepreneurship
11Lessons Learned
- Create Demand
- Create community awareness of the benefits
- Aggregate the focus so that providers can see the
demand potential - Focus on youth
-
12Lessons Learned
- Collaborate
- Although most projects rely on initial
leadership and funding from government,
successful projects are usually a collaboration
of several entities - Government, private industry and non-profit
entities must work together -
13Lessons Learned
- Use A Flexible Approach to Technology
- Wired
- Wireless
- Satellite
- Cable
- Phone line
14Lessons Learned
- Create Community Technology Centers
- Free or low cost computer use
- Located in schools, community centers,
government buildings - Allow residents to explore the Internet to learn
about jobs, news, and healthcare
15Lessons Learned
- Set Goals and Measure
- You can not improve if you do not measure
-
16 17Thank You
Robert Wood Head of DepartmentTexas Local
Government Planning, Guidance and Economic
DevelopmentComptroller of Public AccountsState
of Texasrobert.wood_at_cpa.state.tx.us