Information Technologies in Sustainable Development:
Infrastructure Group Report

Basic Premise: Evolutionary Design Processes

In some ways settlements for displaced persons are analogous to ecosystems. In the early stages bare ground is colonized by annual species that tend to be opportunistic and highly competitive. This "Type 1" ecosystem begins to stabilize soil and prepare it for later assemblages of plants and animals. This is succeeded by a "Type 2" ecosystem characterized by the introduction of perennial plants and shrubs. The nitrogen-fixing plants tend to enter the system at this stage, and cooperative/symbiotic relationships become evident. Later, a "Type 3" ecosystem may emerge, bringing larger trees and other more "permanent" flora. While competition still occurs between the individuals, high-level cooperation is also evident.

The "ecological succession" through these stages were formerly assumed to lead to a stable "climax" ecosystem. It now clear, however, that a healthy system is a mosaic of all three stages, and many of the plants that form the basis of agriculture are found in Type 1 ecosystems. However, the Type 3 ecosystem does not emerge until the previous steps occur.

In the early stages of a new refugee settlement, displaced persons pour into a site. There is some competition; water must be found quickly and all the food is typically brought in from overseas relief agencies by aircraft. The incoming population typically strips the local forests for fuel and building materials. This is described as the first stage of a camp. Later, food is bought from a regional network, with a more stabilized distribution system in place in the settlement. Basic levels of governance and communication are established within the camp. This is the second stage, which may last months or in some cases years. The final goal is repatriation. When that occurs, the host country is left with a devastated site. In the case of Ngara, Tanzania has requested $70 million from the UN to help clean up and restore the location.

In some ways this process is similar to an arrested progression of ecosystem types. Participants wondered if it would be possible to introduce elements of local food production, energy and infrastructure measures, education programs, and ecological restoration efforts by the settlement population. In effect, could the settlement begin to reflect the shift from a Type 2 ecosystem to a Type 3 ecosystem? Would this help the operation of the settlement? Would this help alleviate boredom, suffering, and social pathologies? Could it help prevent the host country from having to deal with a "moonscape" after the camp is no longer occupied? In the case of some African locations that have had multiple occupancies, could it make the site more resilient? And, could it give the displaced people new agricultural, building, economic, and ecological restoration skills to apply once repatriated?

Recommendations:

Action Items:

Issues of Concern:

1. Geographical Information System

Create and apply a grid-based GIS (Graphical or Geographical Information System) framework for data. This framework will structure the inventory of the place (biome, soil, water, crops and uncultivated vegetation, fuel, fauna and etc.); social intelligence (culture, anthropology, census, skills, tools, and etc.); and physical infrastructure (communications, ports, roads, railroads, airports, and etc.) This framework and associated data forms the basis for planning and crisis response; land management; and monitoring. The unpopulated framework would serve as a basis for decision making in an emergency situation, and as the basis for systematic collection of data in anticipation of future needs.

Action Items:
A) Who; partners

B) Stages

C) Steps

D) How does it come to market?

E) How is it used in the field?

F) Tag Timeline; now, short term, long term

Evaluation Criteria:

Benefits; Quantify and Substantiate

Support Material:

Need to research and create entrepreneurial ways of moving this idea forward. Geographic Search engines already exist for all scientific, economic, and cultural research; these can be adapted or used directly. One excellent source should be existing systems of military and intelligence agencies; how do they pull up info about a specific place? Existing resources may need to be reorganized into GIS structure; for example, data may be stored as country specific files as opposed to GIS files.

Take notion of global census seriously.

Use multi-spectral sensor (land buoys) to monitor and collect information over a long term.

2. Economic and Security Systems

Establish methodologies and processes for developing self-organizing and self-sustaining economic and security systems in camps. The economic system forms an important basis for self-esteem and even prestige for individuals. One facilitating technology that should be evaluated is the use of RFID tags as the basis for currency, economic tracking, food and water distribution, skills inventory, and compensation for work and products.

Action Items:
A) Who; partners

B) Stages

C) Steps

D) How does it come to market?

E) How is it used in the field?

F) Tag Timeline; now, short term, long term

Evaluation Criteria:
Benefits; Quantify and Substantiate

Support Material:
In order to establish economic systems within camps, we need to inventory and question the things we have not given value to, and explore ways to give value to those things. For example, excrement has value for future agriculture. We also need to determine how individuals use resources such as food or fuel.

Issues of Concern:
How to overcome cultural and privacy issues, and make RFID tags acceptable to individuals.

3. Global Capability Warehouse

Create a global capability warehouse that consists of two components: a knowledge library and a component warehouse. The knowledge library is a web accessible archive of information including resources, problem solutions, lessons learned and access to experts (e.g., the virtual barefoot botanist, or solar techniques expert). The component warehouse is a distributed collection of tools and capabilities that can be assembled into a scaleable kit-of-parts that is tailored for specific situations and can be delivered quickly anywhere in the globe. The kit may contain such items as communications capabilities, testing kits, biome augmentation, soil augmentation, technology, designs, and etc.

Action Items:
A) Who; partners

B) Stages

C) Steps

D) How does it come to market?

E) How is it used in the field?

F) Tag Timeline; now, short term, long term

Evaluation Criteria:
Benefits; Quantify and Substantiate

4. Social/Nature Conservancies

Preemptively acquire potential refugee sites in unpopulated lands and ecologically restore them for subsequent habitation by refugees and DPs. Similarly design the process of maturation of refugee camps as vehicle for ecological restoration, adding value to both occupants and host populations. (Needs to be structured to avoid appearance of slavery or exploitation of refugees or DPs.)

Action Items:
A) Who; partners

B) Stages

C) Step

D) How does it come to market?

E) How is it used in the field?

F) Tag Timeline; now, short term, long term

Evaluation Criteria:
Benefits; Quantify and Substantiate

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