Just in time for the opening of the conference I found this 2004 paper from the Intermediate Technology Development Group. Both summary and full text are available. While I prefer the term first mile because it is the most important to most of us, most writers talk about connecting the local community and households as the last mile. The authors say that most development ignores the local context which is all important for relevance and effectiveness in a program. Skilled intermediaries (librarians, perhaps) are needed to help connect locals with those disseminating and producing the knowledge outside the communities.
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