IICA report calls for expansion of connectivity in rural areas, development of digital skills

Extending connectivity in rural areas and developing the digital skills of family farmers must be a regional priority, warned public and private sector authorities during the launch of a report on the state of digital technologies in rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean.Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Honduras’ Secretary of Agriculture Laura Suazo, and the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manuel Otero, were part of the launch of the report, which was prepared by IICA in collaboration with its private sector partners Bayer, Microsoft, and GSMA.The presentation highlighted the leading role that rural youth and women play in incorporating digital technologies into family farming.The hybrid-format event coincided with the celebration of International Day for Rural Women. “Breaking down barriers, narrowing gaps. The key role of women and youth in digital technology adoption in rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean” is the title of the study, which draws on statistical data from three previous studies conducted by IICA and its partners and presents the results of 31 in-depth interviews carried out in 14 countries across the region.Speakers at the event included Alejandra Castro, Vice President of International Affairs and Sustainability Strategy at Bayer, and Lucas Gallitto, Director for Latin America at GSMA, an organization representing mobile network operators and advocating for public policies to ensure connectivity.Sandra Ziegler, IICA Specialist in Connectivity and Education and author of the study, provided details of the findings, while Trigidia Jiménez, a Bolivian rural leader recognized by IICA and a member of the Cañahua Knowledge and Wisdom Network, offered the perspective of family farmers on the role of digital technologies in agriculture.Also speaking at the event were Nancy Andrea Moreno Lozano, Head of the Directorate of Rural Women at Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and María Eduarda de Lima Vasconcelos, a 25-year-old rural woman and General Coordinator of Rural Youth at Brazil’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming.Leaving no one behindThe Prime Minister of Barbados stressed that digital technologies are essential for ensuring no one is left behind in the ongoing transformation of agriculture.“Food production is key for all Caribbean economies, and the only way to ensure its sustainability and competitiveness is through technological tools. Improving access for family farmers, removing obstacles and closing gaps, promotes the transformation of agriculture,” said Mia Mottley.The Barbadian leader shared details of public policies developed in her country to bring digital agriculture to small producers. “Since 2020, we’ve increased connectivity in rural areas by 60%, and today, Barbados ranks among the countries with the highest connectivity in the Caribbean. This facilitates not only education and access to information for farmers but also their integration into the national economy,” she stated.Laura Suazo focused on the role of family farmers as key food providers for societies and emphasized the importance of their access to technologies.“We must dispel the myth that technology is only for those who can afford it,” she said.In this regard, she highlighted the role of financing in ensuring access: “Both public and private banking mechanisms are crucial. We need loans, ideally interest-free, to help small producers access technologies. Another issue is that Latin America is one of the regions where internet access is most expensive. While more people are gaining access each year, it remains a luxury service.”New generationsAlejandra Castro, on behalf of Bayer, thanked IICA for its leadership in this study. “The document identifies where the challenges lie in terms of digital technologies and rural areas and guides us on where to focus our efforts,” she said.“We urgently need younger generations to fall in love with agriculture, and there is no better way to attract them than through digital technologies,” she added.Lucas Gallitto explained that GSMA is the global association of mobile operators and noted that the good news is that mobile broadband participation in the region has increased in recent years, but 40% of Latin Americans still do not have access to it.“Women and young people are the most affected by the lack of technological infrastructure in rural areas. It’s essential for governments and mobile operators to work together to change this reality,” he pointed out.Sandra Ziegler explained the content of the study and emphasized that investing in training and education is crucial for rural communities to leverage digital technologies.The specialist noted that the study identified three models of technology adoption in rural areas: intensive adoption, which includes varied resources and is associated with high education levels; incorporation for value chain support, linked to the use of platforms, apps, and social media, particularly among young people; and non-use due to environmental constraints, such as geographic isolation and living conditions.“Understanding these three distinct models is crucial for designing public policies that respond to the needs of rural populations. Closing the digital divide in the region requires significant joint effort,” she concluded.Meanwhile, Bolivian agronomist and farmer Trigidia Jiménez expressed the need to create pilot rural establishments equipped with digital technologies to demonstrate their benefits. “The way to learn is by seeing. When people see the results, they replicate and adopt new things,” she said.“We must preserve ancestral knowledge like a diamond, as it teaches a healthy way to produce food. But we cannot remain stuck in the past. We must adapt to the changes and opportunities provided by the technological revolution,” she added.Manuel Otero expanded on the transformations already underway in agriculture and highlighted three key elements for this to happen in a way that benefits rural populations: “We need a new generation of public policies that reflect agriculture’s new challenges; we also need more and better financing; and we must facilitate access to new technologies, especially for women and youth, who are destined to be the protagonists of this transformation.”The IICA Director General affirmed that digital technologies are enabling tools. “As we increase connectivity and digital literacy, we can contribute to overcoming poverty and food insecurity levels and give rural areas the sense of future they need,” he concluded.