Technology has brought about an unprecedented change in the everyday lives ever since the industrial revolution. It has facilitated various facets such as the travel, construction, city planning and management, heavy industry with robotic systems and administrative and management tools, techniques to boost agricultural growth, health care etc. and especially in the way people communicate with one another anywhere in the world. The wide use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is also shaping the way social development is taking place around the world.

The use of ICT to further develop logistics and technology solutions in Pakistan is imperative for the provision of basic needs to the citizens. ICT helps by providing a platform that helps health care professionals and specialists to better coordinate and implement standard procedures. ICT has played in key roll in agriculture productivity by enhancing crop yields and improved irrigation and land plowing technology.

ICT can be used to completely disrupt the way transactions are made in marketplaces as Osama mentioned once.

But an emerging question is, that while universally technology is one of the primary reasons that people enjoy a higher standard of living world-wide, most of these are technology solutions where society benefits as a by-product of greater economic traction. E.g. if Walmart or DELL are able to invest in technology and optimize their entire backend infrastructure and supply-chain, they are able to offer products at lower prices to end-users, and as a result can create a bit more economic prosperity among consumers.

Instead of this, a more interesting emerging field of applications is technology products that are built solely for the purpose of helping people in social, cultural, or societal problems. This application of technology could be both both by social entrepreneurs or big large corporations with the means to invest money in solutions.

Over time I want to mention a number of interesting initiatives that are taking place locally and regionally with regards to ICT for Development. Stay tuned.