[UgaBYTES] WEEKLY NEWS ROUND UP-AFRICA (WEEK 3)

[Mwathi Francis]

*A New Telecoms Tax Epidemic Sweeps Across Continent - Increases of Up to
100 Percent in International Calling Costs*

22nd January 2009

A new telecoms tax epidemic is sweeping across Africa adding to the already
high tax levels imposed on operators on the continent. This time the tax is
being levied on inbound international calls and will increase their costs by
between 20-100%. This will make the cost of doing business with Africa rise
significantly in a time of global economic downturn. Worse still, the tax is
directly in contravention of the Melbourne Convention that has been signed
by the majority of African countries. Isabelle Gross investigates.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201001220893.html



*Podcasts can inform poor farmers*

13th January 2009

Podcasts are helping people progress from subsistence farming in Zimbabwe,
says Practical Action researcher Lawrence Gudza. People in developing
countries often lack information that could transform their economic
circumstances. Those in remote parts of Africa, in particular, could benefit
from knowledge that would help them move up from subsistence farming to
become successful, commercial smallholders.

http://www.scidev.net/en/sub-suharan-africa/opinions/podcasts-can-inform-poor-farmers.html



*Mobile Monday starts Kampala chapter*

21st January 2009

Mobile Monday, the global community of mobile industry professionals and
innovators, has now launched its newest chapter in Uganda. The Kampala
Chapter was founded by representatives from Uganda’s telecom companies:
Orange Uganda, MTN Uganda, I-telecom, Mara Telecoms, Universities, media and
ICT firms. At the inaugural meeting facilitated by Dr. Madanmohan Rao, the
research projects director for Mobile Monday, the various stakeholders in
the nation’s mobile and ICT sectors chose the name MoMoKLA for the Kampala
city chapter. MoMoKLA is scheduled to be officially launched on March 8,
prior to the opening of the Digital Africa Summit 2010 that will be held in
Kampala.

http://www.wougnet.org/cms/content/view/473/1/

*Farmers teaching farmers*

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) Issue 52

After researchers in Burkina Faso identified the best crop varieties for the
Sissili region, a local organization, FEPPASI, introduced ICTs to inform
farmers and explain new growing techniques. As a result, production is up to
nine times greater than before.  When FEPPASI, the Federation of Farmer
Organisations of Sissili, started its activities in 1998, the organization
wanted to find out which crop varieties and production techniques were most
suitable for the specific soil and climate conditions of Sissili province,
in south-central Burkina Faso. Until then, farmers depended on knowledge and
techniques passed on orally from generation to generation, without having
access to new developments and innovations in the sector, and without having
the opportunity to experiment.

http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/Farmers-teaching-farmers



*Pastoralists use maps and satellite images to depict land use in Ethiopia*

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) Issue 52

A team of researchers combine maps, satellite images and participatory
mapping techniques to develop an accurate picture of land use among
pastoralists in southern Ethiopia.  The amount of land given over to growing
crops has dramatically increased in the last few decades, leading to a
reduction of available grazing land in many places. Pastoralists are
restricted to grazing their livestock in smaller pastures, which results in
overgrazing and added pressure on the land. Inevitably, some plants and
animals can no longer survive in these areas. And, as the species disappear,
valuable knowledge of the local fauna and flora is also lost.

http://ictupdate.cta.int/en/Feature-Articles/Pastoralists-picture-land-use














-- 
Watch out for the 'telecentre.org Idol 2010'. More details on
www.telecentre.org

Francis Mwathi
Support Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
Tel: +256 414 370163
Mob: +256 783 010269
Skype: francis.mwathi
E-Mail: mfrancis at ugabytes.org