Availability and Use of ICTs in Rural Areas in Panamá: Tulú Case Study

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to understand the current situation regarding the availability, access, and degree of use of ICTs in rural areas. With this, we sought to know the infrastructure, services and associated challenges in these areas and approach solutions in this regard. The Tulú region in the province of Coclé was considered as a case study. Initially, a cartographic study was carried out and information was collected in the field through interviews and discussion groups. This made it possible to determine the impact and contribution that ICTs can have on the lives of people in this area. The results of the study indicate that in the social and economic dimension, the highest level of education and schooling is Premediate (General Basic Education). The main economic activity in the region was also identified as hat making and subsistence agriculture, confirming that more than half of the inhabitants of the Tulú region have an average income of US$80 per month. The technical characterization indicated that there is no Internet access and public meetings are the most effective means of communication. Thus, digital literacy and the strengthening of human development aspects in this area are still a pending task.