IICA’s female “rallies” have trained more than 250 Costa Rican rural women in drone operation, electronic prototyping and 3D printing, to address challenges in their communities

San Jose, 8 June 2023 (IICA)- Since 2019, aiming to bridge the digital gender divide in rural areas in Costa Rica, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has trained more than 250 women from across the country in the use of digital and geospatial technologies, to equip them to devise solutions to the challenges in their communities.

Through face-to-face activities, such as the “Chicas a Volar” rally, spearheaded by IICA’s Digital Fabrication and Community Innovation Lab (FabLab-LINC), the women have been trained in the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, 3D printing and electronic prototyping, among other areas.

The most recent “rally” was held on 27 May at the Institute’s Headquarters in Coronado, San Jose, with the participation of just over 80 women. The Puntarenas edition was held on 27June 8 and took place in partnership with the Parque Marino del Pacífico Foundation. The aim is to involve at least 60 additional young women from coastal communities.

The FabLab, which was officially opened in 2019, arose out of an agreement between the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications of Costa Rica (MICITT), through its Community Innovation Labs (LINC) program, and IICA, which sought to improve access to digital technologies in the country’s rural areas, thereby enabling them to resolve local problems related to water management, agriculture and environmental conservation, among others.

In accordance with the female rallies’ methodology, participants receive theoretical and technical training, develop prototypes and present their proposals to an empowerment panel.

Jonathan Castro, Coordinator of IICA’s FabLab explained that, “We have received many requests to support rural women’s groups, specifically in the area of drone operation. That is why we have designed a module that covers history, national legislation, flight theory, simulation and the use of applications that are being applied in agriculture and natural resource management.

The initiative will continue during 2023 until the goal of reaching and training 500 women has been achieved, in partnership with organizations such as UNESCO, the Costa Rican Cooperation Commission, the Edunámica Association of Costa Rica, the Center for Environmental Law and Natural Resources (CEDARENA), the College of Agricultural Engineers and the Guanacaste Conservation Area (SINAC-MINAE).

“The “rally” methodology is a unique opportunity to work towards technological inclusion and to bridge the digital divide affecting young rural women. It addresses not only technical matters, but also promotes soft skills and inter-institutional linkages that can provide sustainability in the long run”, remarked IICA Consultant, María José Molina, who proposed the concept in 2019 and has been expanding it at the Institute ever since.

More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int