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Diversifying the Economy of Lower Mississippi Delta by
Developing
Rural
E-Commerce Business
Fund for Rural America 2001, Rural Community Innovation support is proposed
to create sustainable development and diversified economic opportunities for
agricultural and other rural businesses in Lower Mississippi Delta by
creating e-commerce businesses. Strong e-commerce opportunities are expected
in the coming years for small and rural businesses. Increased competition
among broadband service providers is expected to offer improved access for
rural communities. The proposed project will provide a university model of a
vertically-integrated agricultural enterprise that markets value-added
products directly to consumers via an e-commerce format. An educational
collaboration between Louisiana Tech University, the Louisiana Small
Business Development Center Network, and university sites in Mississippi and
Arkansas will develop and provide multimedia e-commerce training materials
to rural businesses through a series of educational seminars. In addition,
technical support in web site development, developing an Internet marketing
strategy, electronic retailing services, and a space on a secure server will
be provided to participating rural businesses. Each phase of the project
will be chronicled with research publications. The proposed project will
give rural businesses a chance to develop and/or redefine themselves to
compete in the electronic economy. Because the Lower Mississippi Delta
region represents one of the most economically depressed rural areas of the
nation, this project will have a significant impact by educating rural
entrepreneurs and consumers, assisting businesses, providing research data,
and generally bridging the digital and economic divide for rural
communities. Potential economic and social benefits of the proposed project
extend well beyond the project scope and period.