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CONTENTS

1. Reminder: Digest Using New E-Mail Address

2. Lessons from the Field: ICTs in Agriculture

3. Coming Soon: Clearinghouse Gets New Software Platform

4. New in the Digital Dividend Clearinghouse: Learning for Earning, Mobile Postman Scheme, and On-Cue Compliance

5. Special Opportunity: The Digital Vision Fellowship Program at Stanford University

1. Reminder: Digest Using New E-Mail Address

This is the second Digest that we are sending out using our new e-mail system. If this is the first time you have received the Digest in a while, it may be because it was being blocked by an anti-spam filter that recognized our old server address as spam. We are now using a different return address which should eliminate reported delivery problems. We hope you enjoy the reappearance of the Digest, but if you wish to unsubscribe, send a reply to this e-mail address with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

2. Lessons from the Field: ICTs in Agriculture

Demonstrating how appropriate technology is being used as a tool across different sectors of development, the Digest is introducing a new series of short articles drawn from our Clearinghouse of live, on-the-ground projects. This Digest we focus on agriculture: Nearly two-thirds of the labor force in low-income countries is employed in agriculture, mostly through isolated small family farms that have comparatively limited involvement with markets. In recent years, several projects have begun using ICTs to provide relevant agricultural information in these rural areas, helping farmers to improve their labor productivity, increase their yields, and realize a better price for their produce. Read more

3. Coming Soon: Clearinghouse Gets New Software Platform

The Digital Dividend Team is redeveloping its Project Clearinghouse! The new platform will be open source, more accessible, and easier to use. We will be drawing upon nearly two years of experience with the current platform, as well as the feedback and suggestions many of you provided through our user survey last June.

Your input is critical. Didn't have a chance to fill out the survey, but have some ideas or suggestions for improving the Clearinghouse platform? Please e-mail us

4. New in the Digital Dividend Clearinghouse: Learning for Earning, Mobile Postman Scheme, and On-Cue Compliance

Eight new projects have been added to the Clearinghouse since our last edition of the Digest. Among the highlights are:

Learning for Earning: Run by the Jiva Institute, Learning for Earning is a training program for rural women artisans. The program teaches the artisans how to use technology to identify markets and customers, and helps them to understand fundamental business principles such as positioning, branding, marketing, and basic economics.

Mobile Postman Scheme: BSNL, India's major telecom, is gearing up for a project that will extend telephone service to rural residents. In partnership with the postal service, the plan would equip postal delivery persons with a wireless phone to carry on their routes.

On-Cue Compliance: Using SMS (Short Messaging Service), or text messaging, On-Cue Compliance is helping to reduce reoccurring medical problems due to non-compliance (not taking prescription medication) by sending patients timely reminders via their personal cellphones.

5. Special Opportunity: The Digital Vision Fellowship Program at Stanford University

The Digital Vision Fellowship Program at Stanford University, a sabbatical program for technology professionals, is accepting applications for the 2003-04 academic year. Digital Vision Fellows draw upon the resources of Stanford University and Silicon Valley to design and prototype ICT-based solutions that serve a humanitarian purpose in the developing world. Microsoft is sponsoring two new fellowships this year, bringing the total to twelve. Applications are due March 14, 2003. For more details, click here