Often funding agencies and donor governments face the question as to whether they
should support the integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in
their development projects. Should the money be invested in computers and
communication equipment or will it be better spent on food, shelter, health, and
education? The choice need not be "either/or". If used intelligently and innovatively, ICTs
can form an integral component of development projects as demonstrated by the awardwinning
Information Village Project of the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
(MSSRF).