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Affordable Technologies for Sustainable Development

Exploring the relationship between microfinance and IT
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This reference document examines the increasing presence of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the microfinance sector in India and China. It discusses the following:

The IT sector in India and China and presents a quick overview of the facts and numbers, including:

  • Details of a report that highlights ten trends for revenue opportunities in wire line and wireless technologies;
  • India's place in the United Nation's (UN) e-readiness index;
  • The number of internet surfers in China - 80 million.

Policies and recommendations for ICT sector development, presenting:

  • The China Business Summit Report;
  • The Summary of the Tenth Five Year Plan;
  • Strategies for developing China's software industry.

The contribution of the ICT industry to social and economic development, detailing:

  • The opportunities and challenges as seen in:
    • The Regional Human Development report;
    • The role of ICT in fighting rural poverty;
    • ICT's transformation of rural India.
  • Various case studies.

The relationship between microfinance and ICT, providing information about:

  • The increasing access to microfinance using ICTs;
  • Expanding microfinance with digital technologies;
  • Providing rural phone service profitably in poor countries;
  • The uses of the internet to microcredit loan officers in rural China.

Public-private partnerships, presenting information about:

  • The Asian Forum on ICT Policies and e-Strategies;
  • Public-private partnerships and financing ICT developments;
  • The announcement of microfinance partnerships by international agencies.

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