eVillage ProjectInterim Report
July 7, 2014

Prof. Nwe Nwe Win
Vice President
Myanmar Computer Federation

Summary
1. eVillage is a project to support “better livelihood space for village dwellers through ICTutilization.”
2. The project researches ICT utilization that helps
planting method
Agriculture
weather forecast
better livelihood space by sector such as agriculture,
villagematerial priceexampledwellercrop pricefishery, sewing, tourism, logistics, education, finance,
seedcontentorderhealth and public administration services.
fertilizer
providercroppesticide
ICTvendor
regist3. Two developments, Community ICT Center (CIC)
rationdevelopment as an access point together with content
dataprospects
broker, etccenterbusiness development will promote ICT utilization andmaintain its sustainability.
4.
*content use,
[Costing]
Development
Use and operation*
One CIC (with 500Dwellers) USD5,000
Cost sharing

USD12,000/year

maintenance,and depreciation

Public investment User-charge (e.g. transaction fee )5. Government role
- ICT sector: CIC deployment to implement universal service obligation or an equivalent scheme andICT business environment establishment to maintain the competitive market- Other sectors: content development support (e.g. ICT utilization policy enhancement, software
application contest support and content business loan system establishment)
6. Action planning including fund raising is scheduled in final reporting by March 2015.

0eVillage Goal and Strategy (What is eVillage?)eVillage project defines 5 strategies to achieve 2 goals.
Goal

To propose ICT utilization that
support a better livelihood space

Strategy
To cooperate with other projects tocome to grips with the quality of life

To link with the development ofapplication and content businessTo utilize ICT withthe minimum ICT literacy

To propose the optimal CIC* andits deployment to lessen digital
divide in the rural area

To start running withthe minimum cost

*Community ICT Center

To deploy CICs as the public
infrastructure with public investment

Overall Goal (Long term goal)
To realize better livelihood spacein the rural area
through ICT utilization2

Impact of ICT Utilization for Development (ICT4D) (Why eVillage?)

In a southern area of India, fishermen started using cell phones and it resulted instabilizing fish prices (and the price increase) and eliminating wastage of unsold fish.

Source: The World
Bank, “ICT inAgriculture,” 2011.

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eVillage Needs (What did MCF/JTEC find out in Hpa Yar Ngoke To Village?)
The following needs have been identified and quickly implemented since
MCF/JTEC visited the village in October 2013.
November 2013 and January 2014
Interviews to stakeholders based on a questionnaire
The portal information of Japan
Agricultural Cooperatives

Quick implementation starting from basic
content, feedback of trial use and enhancement.
-Many thanks to those who offer content: Twantay Township,Terra People Association, SEEDS Asia, JICA, etc.

Cumulative number of users until May 31
since the soft opening on April 1: 750

March 2014: the initial portal launched
June 2014: the latest portal content screen shot

Useful content and applications (On study):
・Motion pictures are more attractive.
・Community bulletin board and circular forvillage activity schedule, school program andplanting guideline
・ Sales advertisement of and ordering system
Next page: Long term idea examples

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ICT Utilization for Better Livelihood Space in Rural - Agriculture example

Yield improvement to adopt organic planting method for new crops
Optimal fertilizer and pesticide (material cost minimization)
Optimal shipping (crop sales maximization)
Village Dweller (farmer/collector):

Technical Supporter:
Advisor
Academic Institute
NGO/NPO
Volunteer

Planting advice

seedfertilizer
pesticide

Distributor(material sales/middleman):planting method
weather forecast
material pricecrop price
Crop

Village Dweller
Revenue Increase

Planting records

Order

Prospects

Information Service/
Cloud service – sales/farming

ICT Vendor,
Agricultural
Content
Provider:

DataCenter

Japan Contribution: One village one product, food safety and particular about taste

5ICT Utilization for Better Livelihood Space in Rural – Recruiting /Advert example

Recruiting ad for migrant work in urban
Web yellow page (company directory)
Web advertisement /Digital Signage
Village Dweller (all):Better conditioned job
CIC use cost allocation,
sustainable use of CIC
Technical Supporter:

AdvertPro bono (ex.
web designer,
data analyst)

AccessAnalysis

AdviceResumeEmployment

Ad Placer(Company):Work
Ad dev. /Broadcasting

Application
AccessAnalysis

ICT Vendor,
Ad Company：

DataCenter

Ad Request

Japan Contribution: Web marketing and recruiting know-how6Content Business for eVillage(Content business for eVillage is crucial.)

eVillage deployment countrywide heavily depends on content development for village dwellers.
Community ICT Center(Access Point)

Data Center Content Business(Content Store)
Content business with cases

Agriculture•Advise planting methods with fertilizer andpesticide corresponding to weather/soil.
•Sell materials.
•Inform the market prices of crop.
•Purchase crop and wholesale in market.
https://www.echoupal.com/

e-Choupal (ITC, India) 6,500 CICs
countrywide and 4 million people use

Recruiting•Advert recruiting positions for villagers togo in distance for work.
•Apply directly to an open position afterregistering a resume.
•Inform a matching position by email.

http://www.froma.com/FromANavi (Recruit Co., Japan)
sales 2 billion USD in 2013

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eVillage Status (What has been done so far?)Research(2014)

Pilot(2015)

Launch(2016/7)

Deployment Phase(4years: 2018-2021)

The 1st eVillage was developed in a village in the suburb of Yangon, and succeeded soft
opening in the 1st of April 2014. The difference from existing PAC (Public Access Center)is tohouse not only ICT tools but also helpful content in order to maintain its sustainability.
Project Site: Yangon Region, Hpa Yar Ngoke To Village

Library building renovated against rain, bugs and heat

Point A: Downtown Yangon
Point B: Hpa Yar Ngoke To Village
Distance: 35 km

・Renovated, 6 zero-client PCs
・LED light・Power generator until 5/M
Solar power after 5/M

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eVillage Lessons learnt (What has been learned in eVilllage?)
1. Ownership
・The village library, a meeting place of villagers, houses eVillage facilities, which are easily
accessible for all.
・The eVillage operation is assigned to those who live in the village and neighboringcommunities with higher education degree. The assignment creates a job in local and saves
extra expenditure such as transportation from a distanced city as well.
2. Optimally-minimized costing fit into rural environment
・Highly available (and expensive) hardware is replaced by operators who easily reboot thesystem by manual. A middle-class (and less expensive) desktop PC is selected.
・Zero-client system which hosts 6 virtual clients in a least expensive PC reduces its operation
work and electricity consumption.
・NPO license of OS software or Ubuntu (Free-of-charge software) will save its license fee.
・Open Office software compatible with Microsoft Office also saves license fee.
・HTTP proxy server to save cache data once accessed will efficiently use the limited
bandwidth to the Internet.
・LED lights save electricity consumption.
・SSD(Solid State Device) in a PC would prevent HDD failure due to vibrations.
3. Necessities (basic human needs) to eVillage facility
・The electricity is supplied by a gasoline generator purchased in the project. A stabilizer andan online uninterruptible power supply guard PCs from damages.
・Solar power delivery will lessen the noise of generator.
・Safe water is requested by villagers as part of basic human needs.

92014 Project Actions after the Interim Report[Short Term]
1. Contest: to invite useful software applications and content in the rural area
2. Supporting companies: to invite useful ICT tools and software applications
continuously
3. Sector partners: to utilize CIC and its content in sectors other than ICT such asagriculture, health and education jointly with eVillage projecte.g. a partner to host an agriculture workshop to advise planting methods
4. Network enhancement :To install fiber optic cables and long distance Wi-Fi facility
in the village as part of the current facility improvement[Long Term]
1. Action Plan: to plan the one based on the Interim Report ideas by March 2015
including the lessons from Hpa Yar Ngoke To Village
2. Content supply system: to study the appropriate body of content supply(i.e. private business under public company arrangements)
3. Donors: to support Pilot and Launch phases

10Invitation to eVillage (The eVilllage is waiting for your offering.)

MCF/JTEC welcome yourproducts and servicesuseful for village dwellers.
 MCF
Contact Person: Dr. Myint Myint Than, Director
1/1 Myanmar ICT Park Yangon YGN 11052 Myanmar
officemcf@gmail.com
Tel: (+95-1) 652307
URL http://www.mcfmyanmar.org
 JTEC Myanmar Liaison Office
Representative: Mr. Aung Kyaw Min
Address: No.51, Room 802 Shwe Hinn Thar Condominium (A), Pyay Road,
Mayangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (+95) 01 654784
Mobile: (+95) 09-73140409
URL www.jtec.org.mm

 JTEC Tokyo Headquarters
Contact Person: Mr. MUNESATO Tatsumi
Address: 8-1-14 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0031 Japan
Tel. +81 3 3495 5215
URL www.jtec.or.jp

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