IICA launches a study on rural digital connectivity in Latin America and the Caribbean
The report calls for targeted public policies, affordable financing, and investments in education to ensure rural communities can leverage digital technologies and avoid being left behind in the agricultural transformation.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and global partners Bayer, Microsoft, and GSMA published a study on rural digital connectivity in rural Latin America and the Caribbean. The report, titled ‘Breaking down barriers, narrowing gaps,’ focuses on rural women and youth’s significant roles in adopting new technologies, drawing on data from prior studies and 31 interviews across 14 countries.
The report identifies three models of technology adoption – intensive adoption linked to higher education levels, value chain support utilisation common among the youth, and non-use due to geographic or environmental constraints. Policymakers, including Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Honduras’ Agriculture Secretary Laura Suazo, highlighted digital solutions’ crucial role in transforming rural agriculture.
Why does it matter?
The report calls for joint private and public sector initiatives to close the digital divide, ensuring rural communities actively participate in a digitally inclusive agricultural future. It also stressed the development of public policies that address agricultural challenges, focusing on technology access for women and youth and highlighting digital technologies as essential tools for reducing poverty and enhancing food security in rural areas.
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