"I didn't dare to touch the keyboard the first time I worked on the computer. I thought I might break it," Liao said, smiling at the memory. "But I was thrilled to see my red pepper information uploaded. It even attracted buyers from Taiwan."
Liao's smile broadened widely when she said the price of her red peppers had increased from 2 yuan (27 U.S. cents) per kilogram to 12 yuan per kg in the market. With the price increase, she took in an extra 10,000 yuan more per mu with Liao's help.
"I guess the secret is that he taught me to grow organic and healthy red peppers and to tap the market potential."
Nationwide, the TTF initiative has covered 1,039 counties in 31provinces and regions with a total of 45,000 TTF practitioners introducing farmers to innovative, environment-friendly technologies and organizational methods to increase their income and promote sustainable rural development.
The project has won the support of the private sector. Beihai'sICT center is a result of a public-private partnership supported by Stora Enso, a multinational paper producer. The Finnish-based company donated one million U.S. dollars to the TTF project in Guangxi.
In addition, multinational IT companies, such as Intel and Microsoft, also introduced their existing best practices in bringing ICT services to rural China through providing physical infrastructure, financial input, technical solutions and improved human resources.
"There is an unprecedented scope for IT companies and other multinational and national companies to match real investment opportunities, and to commit their corporate social responsibility with the real needs of the poor for information," said Subinay Nandy, the UNDP China country director.
Liu Yanhua, China's Science and Technology vice minister, believed the TTF project had played an important role for the sustainable development in rural China.
"Training, consultation, partnership building and market information are the main services provided by the ICT support. This serves as a critical rural infrastructure for the development of the new socialist countryside."
