Technology and innovation, such as the use of drones in agriculture, demonstrate that rural work requires a strategic and intelligent vision, far from old paradigms. Meet the journey of Eric Ek, a 22-year-old from Belize, who managed to overcome the distrust of older generations and technical challenges to significantly modify the management of his crops.
“The countryside is life, it brings food to our table, to our family. As youth we want to excel for a better future and in the countryside we can achieve it.” — Eric Ek.
The Productive Challenge and Generational Clash
Eric is part of the Concepción Vegetable Farmers Cooperative, located in northern Belize. The cooperative is formed by 12 members, with a vast majority of 85% youth and only 15% adults with a long history in the field.
Despite the youth majority, introducing drones in agriculture faced strong resistance from the older producers. They were accustomed to only hearing the noise of tractor sprayers and deeply distrusted the effectiveness of the new flying tool. They viewed the novelty as a drastic change to be accepted overnight. Besides the huge cultural barrier, the initiative faced the high financial cost of the equipment and the lack of technical training in their own country.
Overcoming Barriers with International Training
To prove the strategic value of drones in agriculture, Eric had to make an unwavering commitment. Due to the lack of courses and high local costs, he had to travel to Colombia to obtain the necessary technical training.
With this new knowledge, he became the qualified pilot of what would be only the third agricultural drone to enter the entire territory of Belize. Knowing that words alone would not be enough to convince the adults, Eric decided that the facts needed to speak. He conducted multiple practice runs and demonstration flights directly over the cultivation areas. Upon witnessing the practical efficiency with their own eyes, the veteran producers finally placed their trust in the project.
Practical Results: Time, Water, and High Profitability
Today, the impact of drones in agriculture in the cooperative led by Eric has become a highly profitable work model. The documented benefits were the following:
- Extreme time savings: The spraying that traditionally required two intense hours is now executed in just nine minutes.
- Environmental protection: The cutting-edge technology allows them to use less water, which is vital in the face of climate change , and it runs on lithium batteries, eliminating gasoline consumption and protecting the environment.
- Productive expansion: The drastic reduction in fuel costs and manual payments makes it possible to expand production areas to supply the country with food.
As a recommendation for other young people who want to become entrepreneurs, Eric emphasizes the importance of giving excellent maintenance to the equipment after each task and maintaining total attention in the field to avoid collisions that destroy the technology.
A Multiplier Effect in the Rural Community
The success of the project generated new direct jobs for the community and inspired other national producers to incorporate drones in agriculture into their own rural businesses. The most significant gain, however, was observing that the use of innovation drastically increased the interest of young people in entering and remaining in the agricultural sector.
About the Nexus Rural 2026 Award
Eric Ek shared this inspiring experience during the official launch of the Nexus Rural 2026 Award.
If you develop digital solutions, such as the use of drones in agriculture, this contest promoted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and PROCASUR offers funding (seed capital), AI training, and mentoring for young innovators aged 18 to 35. Register your project by visiting nexusrural.org
