KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Summary/Abstract: The paper explores the prospects for Knowledge Management (KM) services in rural development. It takes a close look at knowledge networks and systems in rural areas, and examines the relationship between KM and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT is most useful for shuffling data and information and to some extent for transferring documented knowledge, but is of less use for transferring complex or implicit knowledge. KM has emerged as a response to the rapid development of ICT. It highlights that, while the speed and ease of exchanging data and information is increasing, a new challenge for users emerges: to select relevant data, information and documents. Most poor people live in rural areas. For them, sustainable improvements in production and marketing are an important way of getting out of poverty. KM can be used as a weapon in the fight against poverty by providing disadvantaged groups in rural areas with access to information, enabling them to use specific information to generate knowledge and to share it. It also means being able to communicate, to determine one’s own development path and in the sense of empowerment to participate in societal development.

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