Not understanding how to use smartphones, apps, or online search engines limits farm workers’ access to information that could improve their lives.

Luckily, this issue is starting to get noticed and organizations are stepping up to help address the problem. In this piece, we’ll review the state of digital literacy among farm workers, explain why it matters, and highlight a few solutions that might start closing the gap.

What is the “digital divide”?

The term “digital divide” started to come about as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution — characterized by a new range of technologies fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds. The digital divide refers to the discrepancy in skills associated with the practical and appropriate use of technology. To be on the high-functioning side of the digital divide, you need both cognitive and technical skills. But mostly, you also need access to basic internet.

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, an estimated forty-two million Americans could not purchase broadband internet. And those that did just skated by. Roughly half of low-income families have struggled to pay their internet and cell phone bills. Although companies like SpaceX have ambitious plans to bring high-speed internet to disconnected regions, it’s still in the beginning phases.

Why does digital literacy matter?

First and foremost, digital literacy serves as a baseline security measure. Individuals who build digital literacy skills understand the basics of Internet safety, from creating strong passwords to updating privacy settings to being wary of fishy links or spam emails.

Beyond that, digital literacy has the potential to open the floodgates to knowledge. Just think about how many times you perform a Google search and learn something new. Of course, not all content is created equal. Digitally literate individuals have the capacity to critically evaluate the validity of sources. And knowing what to click, watch, and listen to is key to obtaining relevant, reliable information and protecting against fake news. Being digitally literate also means you understand how to get in touch with organizations and successfully complete online processes. Examples include applying for jobs or attending virtual school.

Farm workers, in particular, can benefit tremendously from digital literacy. For one, proficiency with computers and smartphones gets farm workers access to healthcare and other assistance. This was particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they needed to know where to get vaccines, how to get emergency relief services, and when to report unsafe working conditions. In addition, being adept at using modern technology empowers farm workers to prepare for naturalization or renew their children's DACA applications.”

The state of digital literacy among today’s farm workers

Workers who are most disproportionately impacted by the digital divide include those with less education, lower incomes, and belong to communities of color. Some farm workers are older and live in remote rural areas, making them fall into an even worse category of digital literacy.

But over the last five years, smartphone and data plan price points have lowered enough to become accessible to most farm workers. According to CIERTO Global, a non-profit dedicated to the ethical recruitment of agricultural workers, most workers will have a smartphone by their second pay period. The farm worker community is already doing much of the heavy lifting, teaching themselves how to become more digitally literate through popular apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Youtube. But there is still work to be done to bridge the divide.

Potential solutions to bridging the digital divide

One of the first ways to bridge the digital divide is to make the internet more accessible and affordable. An example of this in action is The Internet Connectivity Project, based in North Carolina. Farm workers in the program gain access to telemedicine, social support, emergency communication, and educational opportunities by distributing wifi hotspots and partnering with organizations that provide digital literacy education.

Pushing through legislation around broadband internet can make these small projects scale across our nation. But even if those laws pass, implementation will take a long time. So this begs the question: what can we do right now?

Part of the answer lies in low-code development. With low-code, groups that benefit farm workers can bring world-class digital services to market quickly. Farm workers who have access to smartphones need only to download an app to be notified of community events, cash assistance, updates to legislation, and more.

Some organizations will use new technology like self-sovereign identity (SSI) and verifiable credentials to allow farm workers to share legal documents for immigration purposes, healthcare, or job applications. Building a privacy-preserving infrastructure can also encourage farm workers to answer surveys regarding their working conditions, wages, and healthcare. Equipped with this unbiased data, nonprofits can fight for funding, policy changes, and press attention.

How you can start helping the farm worker community

Without the internet and digital literacy, it’s very difficult for farm workers and their families to overcome the divide. While people are working hard to pass legislation to increase farm workers’ access to the online world, it’s not a catch-all or fast solution. Farm workers need practice to become familiar with technology and boost their digital literacy. That’s where Entidad comes into play.

Entidad is a digital transformation consulting firm that specializes in working with farmworker-serving organizations. They’ve built apps to streamline the immigration process, provide emergency relief, and have already begun building the foundation for SSI-enabled platforms. In fact, the team has already helped UFW Foundation and its sister organizations to expand their access to farm worker services online.

Learn more about how you can be a part of the solution by contacting Entidad today.