The country’s drive to develop the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector which enables businesses and lifestyles to improve and keep pace with new innovations will receive a fillip with the launch of the 25th edition of INFOTEL, the flagship event of the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), the largest industry body for ICT development in Sri Lanka, from November 1-4 at the BMICH.
FITIS was set up in 1996 to use the synergy of all ICT associations under one umbrella to develop the industry. The organization has grown from less than 100 members to over 240, conducting seminars, exhibitions and competitions at national and regional level to promote ICT in the country.
“We have embarked on a major drive to promote ICT development in the country through youth who are the vehicle to take forward the industry.
Programs have been launched in schools to educate children and make them computer savvy and IT literate,” FITIS Chairman Dr.Kithsiri Manchnayakke said .
INFOTEL has evolved as the largest and much looked forward to ICT event in Sri Lanka, patronized by software and hardware sector professionals, academics and students.
The exhibition features a wide range of ICT solutions and services offering a lucrative platform for business opportunities and development.
INFOTEL is the brainchild of the Prime Minister during his tenure as Science and Technology Minister in 1992.
“The exhibition brings together all stakeholders of the sector and paves the way for a connected world. From the simplest act to the most sophisticated, ICT plays a pivotal role, so much so that it has become part and parcel of life.
If businesses are to grow and keep pace with the rest of the world, it needs to develop its ICT sector,’ Dr. Manchanayakke said.
ICT and its applications have enabled the world to have self driven cars, drones and robot technology to perform tasks beyond one’s imagination. As a result life today has become easy and efficient.
However, according to IT experts all these require a supportive environment conducive to drive innovation with the collaboration of the private sector.
‘Toward a Digital Economy’ is the theme of this year’s exhibition which comprises innovations of a large number of private sector organizations, Dr. Manchanayakke said.
He said, the objective of the event and all our programs is to make every one a digital citizen.
Around four million school students are learning ICT. However, ICT literacy among senior citizens is low, which hinders the pace of growth in the country.
“We want to teach our senior citizens to use computers, laptops and smart phones to make their lives easy. Thereby, they could do their transactions at home instead of getting on to the roads and creating congestion and wasting fuel,” Dr. Manchanayakke said.
FITIS also targets housewives who could use their knowledge to earn an income online.
‘We have the fullest backing of the Ministry of Digital Infrastructure and IT Development. We will facilitate the agriculture sector by educating farmers to be informed about the weather, reduce waste, diversify crops and use drip irrigation,” Dr. Manchnayakke said.
He said, having access to timely and accurate information and services tailored to specific locations and conditions is critical in helping those involved in agriculture to make the most of their resources in often changing circumstances.
Therefore, ICT and data ecosystems could support the development and delivery of timely, targeted localized information and services to make farming profitable and sustainable.
Among others, moves to boost ICT in the country are improving the transportation sector with the use of Apps to know where there is congestion. Apps will be introduced to buses to avoid traffic and thereby reduce the number of accidents.
FITIS aims at creating business opportunities for member companies through the creation of Apps, smart phones, computers which would help the senior citizens and housewives to go digital.
‘We spend around 95 percent of our GDP which is about 82 billion US dollars on servicing debt. The 21st century software will disrupt most traditional industries in the next 5-10 years. Uber is a mere software tool; they don’t own any cars, but are the biggest taxi company in the world. AIRBNB is the biggest hotel company in the world, yet, they don’t own any property. Therefore, we need to be equipped with new technology and promote innovations to withstand storms,” Dr. Manchanayakke said.
He said this year, INFOTEL is completing 25 years and taking on the theme, ‘Towards a Digital Economy’.
We have devised a strategy, breaking the economy into seven sectors and each sector having a unique strategy to increase productivity and reduce waste, making each sector increase efficiency by 10% year-on-year, finally, reaching a maximum efficiency of 60%. It is envisaged that this will help decrease public debt and grow our GDP as much as 50-60% in five years.
Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Ministry Secretary,, Wasantha Deshappriya said, INFOTEL and Makency’s digital landscaping project and all others that have been launched and those in the pipeline are aimed at increasing the IT literacy rate and promoting digitization in the country.
“The Minister will support all such projects, be it private sector led or public sector to develop ICT in the country. Rs. 2 billion has been allocated in the last budget to develop the ICT sector,” Deshappriya said.