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ICT for Sustainability: Barriers and Opportunities in Spreading Awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals Among Young Rural Farmers

  • Vanessa Duque-Rengel
  • , Marco Heredia-R
  • , Jhenny Cayambe
  • , Yenny Torres
  • , Laura Puhl
  • , Mehdi Saqalli
  • , Carlos G.H. Diaz-Ambrona

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    This study analyzes the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in spreading awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among young rural farmers in the Ecuadorian Amazon, considering structural barriers such as the digital divide and gender inequalities. A mixed approach (surveys of 110 youth and interviews with 7 community communicators) was used to identify living conditions, access to information, and understanding of the SDGs in the Llanganates Sangay Ecological Corridor. The results reveal that although 95.39% of the young people have access to the Internet, gender gaps persist in education, land tenure, and access to credit, with significant disadvantages for women. Only 44.68% are aware of the SDGs, and their implementation is limited by decontextualized global messages and low Internet access in rural areas. Community media, especially radio, are reliable broadcasting channels, yet they face operational challenges. ICT offers opportunities to make local realities visible and promote the SDGs but requires digital inclusion policies, critical training, and territorialized strategies. This study highlights the need to address structural inequalities and strengthen youth participation in sustainability agendas.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationCommunication and Applied Technologies - Proceedings of ICOMTA 2025
    EditorsPaulo Carlos López-López, Matthieu Vernier, Úrsula Freundt-Thurne, Daniel Barredo Ibáñez
    PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
    Pages315-325
    Number of pages11
    ISBN (Print)9783032099105
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2026
    EventInternational Conference on Communication and Applied Technologies, ICOMTA 2025 - Valdivia, Chile
    Duration: Sep 2 2025Sep 4 2025

    Publication series

    NameSmart Innovation, Systems and Technologies
    Volume458 SIST
    ISSN (Print)2190-3018
    ISSN (Electronic)2190-3026

    Conference

    ConferenceInternational Conference on Communication and Applied Technologies, ICOMTA 2025
    Country/TerritoryChile
    CityValdivia
    Period09/2/2509/4/25

    Keywords

    • community media
    • Digital divide
    • gender
    • SDG implementation

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