The Ngäbe Buglé Indigenous Peoples, or Ngäbes, as they are commonly known, live among these hills, far from the big cities. These men and women are accustomed to traveling long distances, either on foot or on horseback, following dirt paths that are difficult to access and are often impassable due to rain.

 

Just a virtue of this setting the Ngäbes are in constant contact with nature, and their remoteness has helped them preserve their traditions and strengthen their sense of community.

 

However, it also leads to challenges such as high levels of poverty and lack of access to basic services, particularly when roads are inaccessible. In this area, where subsistence agriculture and livestock are predominant, the lack of adequate infrastructure also sometimes harms family farmers and young people who seek economic and life opportunities. Access to digital connectivity, for example, is often difficult, especially when the weak internet signal, already insufficient for connecting a computer, is then interrupted by rain.

 

One opportunity to address some of these persistent challenges came with digital literacy trainings, offered by a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the People's Republic of China. As part of the South-South Cooperation programme, FAO together with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) launched the "Digital Transformation and Innovation in Agriculture" project to help revitalize rural livelihoods and support small and medium-sized producers in Panama and 11 other countries in the region. 

 

In Panama, the project involved four producer organizations from the Ngäbe Buglé region. During the design process, the team was supported by two experts dispatched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China—one focused on digital agriculture and the other on rural digitalization—who visited the area to share their experience and provide training to FAO and government technicians, as well as to speak with members of the communities.

 

Juan Cedeño (20) and Milka Rodríguez (23) were two members of the Ngäbe community particularly excited by this opportunity and ended up playing a special role in the project's implementation. Both Indigenous Youth support their families in agricultural work and, at the same time, are studying for a degree in Bilingual Intercultural Education at the Autonomous University of Indigenous Peoples (UAPI).

 

Every Friday, they travel to the university located in Llano Tugrí and stay there until Sunday, when they return to their homes in Cerro Tula and Cerro Gavilán. For Juan, the trip to the university can take between an hour and a half and two hours, as he has to walk part of the way. The return trip, on the other hand, can take about four hours, as he usually walks the entire way.

 

Their involvement in the project began because their parents, leaders of two of the associations, urged them to participate in this training held at the Nuestra Señora del Camino Foundation, an entity that together with the Institute of Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP), was key in the implementation of the initiative.

 

"The opportunity came with FAO and my dad got me involved because technology is already advancing and we have to learn more," Milka recalls.

 

"I became interested in this association thanks to my mother, as she was already involved before ...From a very young age, I have liked to participate in something that positively impacts the community," Juan acknowledges.

 

For five weeks, Milka and Juan adjusted their schedules and responsibilities to attend classes, with the aim of reinforcing their prior knowledge and acquiring new skills in using the internet, social networks, work software and use of tablets and laptops.

 

Their interest and commitment made them stand out in the training, helping other people in the class and assisting the facilitator.

 

Arquimedes Pérez, FAO Information Technology Officer in the Panama subregional office, recognized their talent and natural leadership and asked them to assist in installing the antennas and technological equipment delivered to the associations.

 

For months, they accompanied him and learned how to configure tablets and laptops and solve common technical errors. They were also trained in the care and maintenance of the solar panels that were installed to provide electricity for the four community associations.

 

"Youth is the renewal of communities," comments Arquimedes. "The objective of involving young people from each community is so that they can provide front-line support to their associations," he explains.

 

Milka and Juan's involvement in the project has allowed them to streamline their work, explore new sales channels for the producer organization's products and learn about other topics of interest to them.

 

In fact, they have already created social media accounts to promote and market products. Milka, for example, has already sold products such as handicrafts, grains and legumes to people from inside and outside the community.

 

In addition, they access online information on agricultural techniques, weather forecasts and markets, which is essential for their harvest and business decisions.

 

Milka and Juan are sharing the knowledge acquired with other young people in the community, so that they also learn to better use technological devices and solve the basic problems that may arise. The new digital tools promise to provide greater access to information and opportunities for the entire community, the youth in particular.

 

The story and photos can be found here:  https://www.fao.org/newsroom/story/digitalizing-panama-s-mountain/en