Social networks for urban agriculture

By Carolina Rojas – Communications Advisory Office

The ISU project “Strengthening Marketing through Social Networks” has marked a milestone in how urban agriculture and technology are integrated in Bogotá. In partnership with the Bogotá Botanical Garden, this initiative has trained 38 urban farmers from the “From Garden to Garden, Agroecological Routes through Bogotá” project in digital strategies to improve the visibility and sales of their agroecological products and services.

The proposal arose from a latent need: the farmers, mostly over 50 years old, had solid technical knowledge of urban agriculture, but lacked practical tools to market their products in digital environments. “Many of them stated that, although they knew how to take photos or speak in front of a camera, they didn't have the time or sufficient resources to generate quality content,” explains Blanca Luz Buitrago Sánchez, Knowledge and Learning Manager and author of the project.

Therefore, Knowledge and Learning Managers Blanca Luz Buitrago Sánchez and Mónica Liliana Guzmán Castillo decided to incorporate artificial intelligence as a viable, economical, and effective solution to facilitate the production of digital content. Through five intensive four-hour workshops, participants learned everything from the fundamentals of a digital strategy to how to create visual content using AI, allowing them to save time and improve the quality of their communication on social media.

One of the most inspiring stories of the process was that of an 86-year-old participant who, with enthusiasm, curiosity, and determination, demonstrated that age is no barrier to learning and adapting to new technologies. “It was a life lesson. She didn't give up; she asked questions, explored, and relied on her peers. Her attitude was exemplary,” commented Manager Mónica Liliana Guzmán.

The urban farmers who participated offer fresh and processed products, as well as agritourism services within Bogotá. The agroecological routes that are part of the project allow citizens to discover, explore, and appreciate local farms, integrating sustainability with educational and community experiences.

Furthermore, the project involved students specializing in Social Media at the University of Cundinamarca, who supported the farmers both in person and virtually. Their task was to help the participants create digital content for their businesses, an exercise that enriched both parties.

Currently, a second phase of the project, submitted to the University Social Interaction (ISU), is under evaluation. This new stage would seek to delve deeper into digital marketing strategies and, eventually, extend the experience to rural areas of Cundinamarca, paving the way to replicate this successful initiative beyond the capital.

“This project has been a mutual learning experience. They taught us resilience, empathy, and adaptability. We provided them with tools, but we received much more than we gave,” concludes Blanca Luz Buitrago.

The seed has been sown; now a new vision of urban agriculture is flourishing, more connected, more visible and stronger thanks to the power of technology and community collaboration.

More institutional news from the News Agency