Don’t idolise DPI. Enable countries to build national data exchange infrastructure that makes data exchange DPIs useful. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has become one of the most influential ideas in digital development. Digital identity, payments and data exchange are increasingly described as the foundational “rails” upon which countries can build digital services. The metaphor is…
Author: benjaminkaddom
Information and Knowledge Management Expert with Experience in the Strategic Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development Specific focus on ICT for Agricultural Development, Food Security and Livelihood.
Building the Data Foundation for Stronger AfCRA Reporting
Why the African Union Commission should consider National Data Exchange Infrastructure as the backbone for reliable country information and statistics. Africa’s continental reporting is only as strong as the information and data supplied by its Member States. For the African Union Commission, strengthening reporting under Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) should therefore begin below the…
Can Countries “Pull off the Plug” on Data for AI?
“Pulling off the plug” does not mean shutting data down Individual countries do not need to own the world’s AI giants to shape the future of artificial intelligence or super intelligence. But they do need the power to decide how, and on whose terms, their strategically valuable data, enters the global AI value chain. What…
How the Open Data Movement Laid the Foundation for the AI Boom
What began as a movement for transparency, scientific collaboration and knowledge sharing has become a foundational layer of today’s data-driven and AI-enabled economy. Open data and open government data advanced the view that public information is a national asset that should be accessible to citizens, innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs. Its objectives included improving transparency, fighting…
Digital Technologies Are Temporal; Data Is Enduring
Agriculture has long been viewed as a fertile ground for technological innovation. Over the years, governments, donors, development agencies, and private companies have invested heavily in ICT-enabled solutions to address persistent challenges such as low productivity, limited market access, climate risks, financial exclusion, and weak extension services. Drawing on my work in ICT4D, D4D, D4Ag,…