The role of ICT in supporting Sri Lanka's indigenous communities

Our research project explores how information and communication technologies (ICT) can improve the wellbeing of Sri Lanka's indigenous communities.

Indigenous communities often face challenges and have limited access to information and communication technologies (ICT). ICT can help preserve their languages, identities, and traditional knowledge. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight the importance of ICT for global progress. This research looks at how ICT can improve the lives of Sri Lanka’s indigenous people, focusing on SDGs 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 10 (Reduced inequalities), and 11 (Sustainable cities and communities).

The Veddhas, Sri Lanka's First People, are a small community of about 2,000 individuals at risk of extinction. They are a marginalised minority, often overlooked by officials and governments. Some settlements, like Dambana, have received some help to develop tourism, but details are unclear.

While there are socio-anthropological studies being conducted about the indigenous people of Sri Lanka, there is a lack of interdisciplinary, in-depth research conducted to date on the adaptation and impact of ICT on these indigenous communities. This project is one of the first to explore this area. The findings could help the Sri Lankan government plan programmes to support the Veddhas and achieve UN SDGs 8, 10, and 11.

Our project

This project aims to:

• See if ICT can create jobs and boost economic growth in indigenous tourism, supporting UN SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth
• Explore how ICT can help preserve the Veddhas' cultural heritage and knowledge about environmental sustainability, supporting SDGs 10 - Reduced inequalities and 11 - Sustainable cities and communities
• Analyse the impact of generational gaps on ICT adoption within the Veddha community

Data collection for this research involves a sample of individuals from one of the indigenous communities living in Dambana, Sri Lanka who are already involved in tourism-related activities. A research grant has been secured from the UK Academy for Information Systems to cover the costs of the data collection in Sri Lanka.

An original, qualitative dataset collected via interviewing members of the indigenous community will be used to answer the research questions such as:

• Can ICT help promote indigenous tourism and improve the socio-economic conditions of the Dambana community?
• Are there generational differences that affect ICT adoption?
• What do community members think about using ICT to preserve their knowledge about sustainable living and environmental protection?

The study will provide recommendations on how the Veddhas can use ICT for tourism-related income and how to preserve and digitise their knowledge about sustainability and environmental protection.

Research impact

Our proposed study could provide recommendations to indigenous communities on how to use ICT for tourism-related income-generation activities.

This study will also pave the way for other researchers to explore technology adaptation, indigenous tourism, and the use of ICT for preserving cultural knowledge.

The findings will help the scientific community understand the social, cultural, and economic impacts of digital technologies on marginalised groups like the Veddhas.

The research could also provide insights into how other marginalised communities, isolated communities and minorities (e.g. ethnic minorities, gender-based marginalised groups and neurodivergent groups) can benefit from ICT for economic, social, and cultural development.