Recipient Institution:
Centre for Regional Research and Development (CRD) Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam
5th floor, 70 Tran Hung Dao Street HaNoi - Vietnam
Tel/Fax: 84 4 9425360/84 4 9421078

Project Leader:
Mr. Vu Thi Thanh Huong
Vtthuong@most.gov.vn

Amount and Duration: US$ 29,500 / 20 months

Commencement Date:
May 2004

Abstract of Project
Today, ICT has become one of the most important enabling forces for development. In Vietnam, the vigorous development of ICT has strongly influenced every socio-economic aspect and became the most significant motivation of the socio - economic development and poverty reduction.

In Vietnam, nearly 75 % of the population are living in rural areas. Developing agriculture and rural economy is one of the most important orientations of the Vietnamese Government. ICT has been creating not only opportunities but challenges to business in rural areas to narrow the gap between different regions, realize gender equality and the advancement of women to promote sustainable growth and poverty reduction.

The project aims at investigating factors of mechanisms, policy environment and major measures and their influences on the acceptance and application of ICT in business activities in rural areas.

To a certain degree, the project will investigate problems and difficulties faced by grassroot business such as organizations, SMEs and households in rural areas in dealing with the shift to new mode of economic activity and life.

As outcomes, a number of conclusions and recommendations for policy-making process will be drawn for governments, authorities and business managers to speed up ICT application and development in business in rural areas. As such, the project will have a bottom up approach in trying to send a signal from below to the policy makers and get the response from the governments to the need of the people and business communities, especially in rural areas, contribute to the Revolution on "speeding up industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas".