In 2010, 4% of all internet traffic was via mobile devices. Two years later that figure had jumped to 13%. The developing world is increasingly connected and increasingly technology enabled. As a result, mobile platforms, multi-use sensors, geospatial information systems, big data analytical tools, and advanced network technology provide opportunities for innovative solutions to a range of problems posed across all sectors and regions – from reducing child mortality to combating public sector corruption.
Mobile devices have the potential to be powerful tools in the hands of government employees and aid workers while sensing and scanning technologies are getting smaller, more integrated, and cost efficient. For governments, NGOs, and international development firms, a successful technology strategy is no longer just nice to have – it is imperative.
In developing countries, harnessing the most appropriate tech-driven solutions for problems is paramount to success. The boost in availability of new communication mediums has created an environment of increased transparency of government operations, but it has also allowed leadership to be more agile in recognising and combatting societal problems.
Access to affordable smartphones has helped municipal leadership in Pakistan to combat corruption among employed mosquito sprayers. As recently reported in The Economist, authorities in Lahore have taken advantage of the availability of inexpensive mobile devices by distributing them to employees charged with mosquito-spraying. While the spraying is meant to kill dengue-causing mosquitos in all areas of Lahore, the temptation to solicit bribes has often meant that only wealthier neighbourhoods were being treated – or the pesticide was being sold and not sprayed at all. Sprayers are now required to take photos of each location they treat, using the phone's cameras and geo-tagging technology to prove all neighbourhoods were visited. Since the project inception, the number of dengue cases has dropped from 21,292 in 2011 to 255 last year.
The approach also includes a hotline to field calls from the public reporting corruption – a step that has been taken by both governments and government watchdogs in other countries to force accountability. The system, which is being adapted for other municipal services in Lahore to combat corruption, is an example of the most appropriate technology being used to effectively create accountability.
Likewise, the international development donor community is beginning to view aid and public sector reform in different and innovative ways, causing a paradigm shift that requires careful to manage change, unintended consequences and cyber risks and ensure overall success. Throughout the world, efforts to integrate cutting edge technology platforms and designs have led to innovations that increase efficiency, decrease costs, and improve the delivery of aid and services.
Unicef, for example, has spearheaded the development of Rapid SMS, an open source technology that uses simple cell phones to deliver real-time information for data collection, logistics coordination and communication. The technology, co-developed by Christopher Fabian and Erica Kochi (who were subsequently named two of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people), has allowed for the registration of millions of births and tracked distribution of life-saving interventions such as mosquito nets.
For aid programmes, having too much data is becoming a more common problem than not having enough data (e.g. the advent of 'big data'). More sensors, platforms, and the ability to collect details about every transaction from every perspective provide an unprecedented level of understanding, intelligence, and knowledge – if managed correctly. To effectively use this data, development organisations must be able to filter out the noise and apply new analysis, modelling and visualisation techniques to make the data actionable.
In the next decade, statistics and real time situational awareness will be taken to a whole new level with greater data and better analysis tools. The future of development technology is less about software coders and database administrators and more about statisticians and econometrics professionals. Innovative international development firms such as Crown Agents are focused on shifting their workforce to build the competencies required to bridge the technology and international development divide. In the future, the global leaders in international development will be those that can rapidly exploit technological advancements to transform emerging market governments and deliver innovative international development solutions.
Connecting and combining commercial technologies so as to repurpose them for social applications requires a keen understanding of the challenges faced and the wealth of technologies that may be applied. Simple and smart applications can have significant impact and may provide real value for money – but only when applied appropriately. It is not surprising to see the growing demand for advisory services that bring together an understanding of social and development challenges with technical expertise that is both current and innovative.
While financial resources grow ever leaner, innovative technology can help governments and aid agencies increase efficiency, which is crucial in a restricted economy that requires more to be done for less. The ability to better connect with citizens allows all stakeholders to be more agile, cost efficient, and effective in delivering services. True change will no doubt take time but if governments and international development organisations are serious about strengthening service delivery and measuring impact, new disruptive tools are available that have the ability to overcome some of the most persistent challenges in a fast changing world.
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