Satellite monitoring and blockchain enter Panama’s rice production

Satellite monitoring, precision agriculture and blockchain-based traceability are gaining ground in Panama’s rice fields, offering producers new ways to track crops and make decisions.

The tools form part of the project “Blockchain and Precision: Innovating with Producers in Panama’s Rice Chain,” presented by the Ministry of Agricultural Development. Representatives of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture introduced the advances during a technical session at the La Montuna Agroindustrial Center in Divisa, Herrera province.

The initiative seeks to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions associated with rice cultivation and promote more sustainable production systems. La Montuna also houses equipment for processing rice produced under the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions framework, known as NAMA. The center is intended to strengthen national capacity in the management and processing of the crop.

The presentation took place during a visit by Indonesia’s ambassador to Panama, Hendra Halim, as part of an exchange on production, innovation and sustainability. Delegates also visited a rice farm in the district of Santa María to examine local growing conditions and practices from planting through crop management.

Participants included National Agribusiness Director Rodrigo Morán, Rural Development Directorate representative Anayansi Pérez, National Association of Rice Producers of Panama president Karen González, IICA representatives, producers and other members of the rice chain. The meeting focused on technology, productivity and more sustainable and resilient rice-production systems.