San Jose, 12 February 2025 (IICA). Luis Diego Solórzano, one of the main hosts of AgroEnlace, the radio program of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), has been awarded Costa Rica’s prestigious Joaquín García Monge National Award for Cultural Communication.
The accolade is one of the 2024 National Cultural Awards, bestowed annually by the Costa Rican Government, through the ministry of Culture and Youth, to recognize the professional career, efforts, tenacity and excellence of individuals, artistic-cultural groups, popular musicians, as well as community-based organizations, in different cultural disciplines.
Solórzano, who is also a musician and music producer, is being awarded along with his wife, dramatist and actress Raquel Hernández Castro, for their ten-year production of the radio documentary series, “Quién canta su mal espanta”. The series is part of the Extension and Music Career Program of Costa Rica’s National Distance Education University (UNED) and is produced with the support of the Audiovisual Production Program of this academic center.
Over the ten-year period, one hundred half-hour programs have been produced for the series, which has been aired by nineteen radio stations. This sustained effort over time has sought to show, preserve and educate the public about the diversity, vitality and energy of the country’s music, while encouraging listeners to appreciate Costa Rican culture and values.
Solórzano explained that, “Producing these programs has been wonderful for us and this prize is a tremendous accolade. It tells us that society appreciates our efforts and wants to see further research on Costa Rican music. We will continue researching and uncovering the treasures of our national music, which is immensely valuable, rich and diverse”.
Thirty episodes of the documentary series have explored the lives and work of Costa Rican composers of academic music; forty-six have sought to disseminate information on the lives and work of instrumentalists, singers and popular music composers; and twenty-four have discussed the work and mission of various Costa Rican musical institutions or a wide variety of musical movements.
“These programs have been broadcast practically throughout the length and breadth of the country. We have tried to cover a wide spectrum of topics and still have many to explore. Producing them is a marvelous experience”, reflected Solórzano, who will be receive the recognition at an official ceremony on Thursday, 15 May at the Teatro Nacional.
In congratulating, Solórzano, Manuel Otero, Director General of the Institute, noted that, “We are extremely excited and proud of Luis Diego for this well-deserved recognition of his long-standing career in and commitment to cultural communication – a tribute to his dedication. It also reaffirms the importance of communication as an invaluable tool in disseminating and making knowledge accessible, while seeking to positively impact our societies. We at IICA are extremely proud of his achievement”.
Twenty years giving a voice to agriculture
During his long-standing career, Solórzano has composed music for theatre, dance, television documentaries and radio programs. Eight of his albums have been recognized by Costa Rica’s Association of Composers and Musical Authors (ACAM), among other accolades.
Since 2005, he has co-hosted IICA’s radio program AgroEnlace, along with producer Susana Fevrier. AgroEnlace’s inclusive and didactic approach has established a benchmark in agricultural communication in the Americas, by facilitating the sharing of information and experiences among small and medium-scale producers in the hemisphere.
From the outset, the Institute’s educational radio magazine program has sought to promote the participation of small-scale agribusinesses in national and international markets and to foster inclusive and sustainable rural development.
With the participation of farmers and international specialists, the program explores topics to guide decision-making, promote associative efforts and innovation, as well as to facilitate a greater understanding of the realities of rural life, different cultures and organizational processes in the region.
More than 400 AgroEnlace programs have been aired. It is transmitted every other Thursday. It can be accessed and reproduced free of cost and is distributed via Spotify, WhatsApp, SoundCloud, the IICA webpage and via e-mailing.
In August of 2018, it was specially recognized by the Government of Ecuador, through the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, for its contribution to building the capacities of small- and medium-scale farmers.
