In Las Gaitas, an agricultural community located 50 kilometers from the **[Panama Canal](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/especies-marinas-cruzan-el-canal-de-panama-y-alteran-ecosistemas/)**, coffee production and chicken farming found a key ally in the **Panama Canal Authority** (ACP), which is committed to rural development. **Yalisbeth Gill**, a young poultry farmer, and **Liduvina Rivera**, a coffee producer, are examples of how this support boosted their activities.
**”They have provided us with the materials to build the chicken coop and have also provided us with training,”** highlights 26-year-old Gill. Rivera, 63, adds: **”The ACP has been like an umbrella for us, always looking out for our community.”**
This support is not a coincidence. The canal needs to ensure the supply of freshwater to maintain its operation. Unlike the Suez Canal, which operates at sea level, the Panama Canal requires water to fill the locks that allow ships to pass through. **Each ship crossing demands 200,000 million liters of water, which end up in the sea.**
## A strategic link with producers
The ACP agronomist, **Alejandro Figueroa**, explains that technical assistance programs aim to achieve **economic, social, and environmental sustainability** for producers in the basin. With an extension of 500,000 hectares and six main rivers, the basin stores water in the Gatun and Alhajuela **artificial lakes**, essential for the canal and the supply of **2.5 million Panamanians**.
**”We have worked with more than 1,200 families, reforesting over 4,500 hectares and promoting agroforestry systems,”** notes Figueroa. In addition, the ACP implements **forest conservation programs**, where landowners receive **$130 per hectare per year** to protect the vegetation.
In Las Gaitas, the ACP supports a coffee producers’ association. **Dionisio Delgado**, the group’s president, highlights the alliance with the canal: **”They have helped us modernize our roasting and packaging plant, allowing us to sell in supermarkets.”**
## Challenges and controversies in water management
Support for producers intensified after the drought caused by **El Niño in 2023**. To prevent future crises, the ACP plans to incorporate a new river into the basin by building a reservoir and an 8-kilometer tunnel in the **Indio River**. However, this project will take six years and require the **relocation of families**, generating resistance.
Additionally, the environmental impact of the ACP’s management is not universally accepted. **Guido Berguido, a biologist and leader of the NGO Bosques Panamá Adopta**, warns: **”Areas of the basin are being devastated for agriculture and livestock, reducing the quantity and quality of water.”**
Despite the challenges, for many small producers, the canal’s support has meant a life-changing experience. **”We used to cultivate traditionally, now we know how to protect the soil without chemicals,”** explains Gill. Rivera, on the other hand, summarizes the impact on her community: **”It’s a boom now. Thanks to our income, I was even able to build my own bathroom and stop using a latrine.”**
## **Why is rural development important for the environment?**
According to experts, rural development is crucial for the environment because it contributes to:
– **Conservation of natural resources:** Sustainable agriculture helps preserve the planet’s natural resources such as water, soil, land, energy, and air, while sustainable forest management maintains local forest health and responsibly utilizes forest resources.
– **Preservation of biodiversity:** Biological diversity contributes to ecosystem health, as biodiversity supports economic sectors like tourism and agriculture.
### Additional benefits of rural development
– Improves the quality of life in rural communities.
– Contributes to social welfare.
– Promotes ecotourism.
– Enhances the value of rural activities and products.
– Contributes to socioeconomic equality and ambition.
– Helps stabilize social and economic development.
*Source: AFP.*
**[Subscribe to our YouTube channel!](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrYLIWysAyv4m833zGAQ02g)**
