Building a Foundation for Digital Inclusion: A Coordinated Local Content Ecosystem

Abstract

early as 2011, its impact on GDP growth in G8 countries had already surpassed that of other global industries, such as energy and agriculture, and it is rapidly transforming the emerging markets in which we work. In Kenya, for instance, information and communication technologies (ICTs) now contribute an astounding 12.1 percent to the country’s GDP. However, this growth has primarily been fueled by consumption, including online sales and advertising, and private investments in infrastructure and software. The Digital Development team at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) works to ensure that the value derived from the digital economy is inclusive, that it not only reaches underserved populations but enables them to be creators and collaborators, thereby maximizing the power of digital technology to drive broad-based benefit. Our investments are guided by two key questions: 1. What tools and capabilities does an individual need to be a full participant in the digital economy? 2. What policies, platforms, and systems must be in place to enable her to act upon those tools and capabilities?