The objective of the project is to promote ICT adoption in the coffee sector in order to improve productivity and market access. The absence of connectivity in rural areas, showed the need for the installation and adaptation of technology to give Internet access to farms and schools in the area. Broadband wireless access was delivered using an Inside-Out TV White Space. So far, 5 farms and 2 schools were connected. Digital skills and training are presented for coffee growers families and teachers in schools. Through the ICT activities and tools developed in the training cycles, the project seeks to positively impact the processes and activities of coffee growers such as: - Quantity and quality of production - Risk of weather conditions - Environmental impact - Quality control - Competitiveness - Offer and market access

The scope of the project is:
• 1 app/tool designed, developed and deployed, that coffee growers in Meta use to track information about market prices, weather, heath, sustainable practices, among others.
• 5 farms implement IoT devices and produce real time useful information related to coffee value chain.
• 100 farms use the app/tool to acquire real time and relevant information to improve their crops.
• 6 innovation labs linked to the coffee value chain, where new solutions to local problems are created, with the leadership of youth.
• 100 coffee growers and their families trained in ICT, adapted to their needs.
• 30 youth engaged in the Innovation Labs
• 30 women trained in ICT and empowered, with a gender focus.

http://makaia.org/en/projects/technology-for-social-change/technology-transformation-improving-the-lives-of-colombian-coffee-growers/

• Mesetas and San Juan de Arama, Meta - Colombia, Colombia

• Remote and rural communities
• Women and youth

The knowledge gained from the successful introduction of the pilot project in Mesetas (Colombia) can provide the springboard to replicate it both in other coffee-producing areas and countries in the region, as well as for other crops such as cacao. Bringing structural and game-changing support in innovative ways, also through public-private partnerships, To rural agricultural communities is a pivotal part of policy making in developing countries and emerging markets while also honoring commitments to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other key international agreements. Private sector companies, academia or start-ups interested in bolstering technology to provide fintech, education and insurance services to coffee farming communities could come in as allies at a future date.

Regarding sustainability, the data produced by our Ag-tech solution will optimize resources throughout the entire value chain providing every player with a real incentive to participate and, for the farmers especially, to take ownership of the model and sustain it in the future. A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) that we will conduct once the project has laid its foundations, will demonstrate the benefits of our intervention through two key impact indicators: increase in income and increase in yields. By the end of the intervention, coffee producers will understand:

* The invaluable resource the technology represents for their economic and social well-being and the fundamental importance of their continued collaboration with the platform in order to maintain these benefits.

* The economic benefits of sustainable agriculture. For example, Lavazza, the key partner, views its sustainability projects as commercially viable because the high quality end products have proved to be a success on the market.

This project is aligned with WSIS and promoting values in the community by developing a solution to connect villages with ICTs and establish community access points, by building capacities and promoting digital inclusion in a remote rural community. Also this project is being implemented in other rural area in Briceño, Antioquia because the population needs in different rural areas in Colombia are in the same line of the coffee growers issues, firstly identified for the project in the department of Meta.