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

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.