Summary
National policies and programs are necessary to provide immediate relief to the people of Nepal. Care must be taken, however, to match policy to reality because extreme diversity in the economic potential of individual places characterizes the Nepali landscape. Although over two-thirds of the Nepali labor force work in the agricultural sector, more than half of Nepal’s districts are classified as food-deficient. The application of open, place-based data technology can help local entrepreneurs take advantage of the unique conditions found at their locations and to identify fresh markets for their products. Sharing open-access, location-specific data among local governments, private sector, and civil society can provide a solid basis for an inclusive approach to local economic development. This would help to mitigate the problems of scale, enhance positive externalities, and reduce the risk of fiat narratives being translated into policy.
Introduction
This is the second of a three-part series. Part 1 started out as a ‘map story’ to illustrate the value of site-specific data when analyzing the spread of COVID-19. However, we faced difficulties when using publicly available government data to accurately determine where and why people were contracting COVID-19. So, we changed the focus of that first piece to concentrate on explaining the importance of establishing Open Data policies and practices in Nepali governments and businesses. In Part 2, we now return to discussing the value of location-specific data for rural Nepali micro-entrepreneurs.
These papers are to look beyond the health issues associated with COVID-19 to offer suggestions on how CIPE can help enhance progress in the post-pandemic recovery, and beyond. Without question, the quality of life in many countries will depend upon timely national government financial interventions. However, we are concerned that politically popular, but economically inefficient, policies may be put forward in the coming months. This is especially problematic in countries like Nepal where accurate, location-specific data are often lacking. Making greater use of detailed geospatial data systems can help open the eyes of policy makers and entrepreneurs to the complex, and continuously changing, interplay among variables at specific places. Unlike the situation of just a few years ago, modern information technology now has the potential to give every individual the opportunity to more easily distinguish the seen from the unseen factors that can influence the success or failure of their plans. However, it is important to first understand the complex milieu in which any strategy may be introduced.
Published Date: August 13, 2020