Panama: An Approach to How Rurality Is Made Visible in Knowledge Management

Abstract

This article analyzes the integration of rurality into knowledge management processes in Panama, transcending a geographical perspective to understand it as a network of sociocultural dynamics essential for national development. The study highlights that, while rural and indigenous communities are custodians of an invaluable heritage of traditional knowledge-including agroecological practices, herbal medicine, and sustainable governance systems-they face critical barriers such as limited access to technology, education, and political representation.Through a qualitative approach, it examines how groups such as the Ngäbe-Buglé, Emberá, and Guna Yala preserve and transmit knowledge through oral tradition and direct practice, facing challenges in the face of globalization and youth migration. It argues that making this knowledge visible is not only an act of recognition but also a strategic imperative for the country's environmental, social, and economic sustainability.The analysis proposes a roadmap focused on: inclusive public policies that reform the legal framework to protect collective intellectual property and promote free, prior, and informed consent; bridging the gap between connectivity and education to help overcome the digital divide and integrate rural knowledge across bilingual education curricula; and implementing participatory research processes with co-creation methodologies where communities are the protagonists of development.Finally, it concludes that the effective integration of rurality into knowledge management will allow for a transition to a more equitable development model, where local innovation becomes a fundamental tool for national resilience.