The CCCE denied that Elon Musk had donated satellite dishes in Córdoba.
The Colombian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (CCCE) recently denied the claim that Elon Musk or his company Starlink had donated satellite dishes to improve connectivity in rural areas in Colombia.
There was no donation from Starlink
In a statement, the organization specified that this equipment was acquired with resources from the ‘Ya Estoy Online Agro’ program, an initiative that seeks to promote digital commerce among farmers.
The confusion arose after misinformation was spread about an alleged contribution by Starlink to the installation of these antennas in the department of Córdoba.
However, the CCCE emphasized that the investment comes from its own funds and is intended to strengthen the digital economy in the agricultural sector.
“It is important to emphasize that at no time has there been a donation from the Starlink company. Both the cost of the devices and the associated subscriptions have been covered in full by the CCCE and its members, within the framework of the program’s development,” the organization said.
Connectivity for agriculture without intermediaries
According to the CCCE, the ‘Ya Estoy Online Agro’ project aims to give farmers access to e-commerce platforms, eliminating the need for intermediaries and allowing them to sell their products directly.
The initiative seeks to improve the profitability of rural producers by connecting them to a wider and more digitized market.
“These devices were purchased to allow agricultural producers to access digital tools for the direct marketing of their products, eliminating intermediaries and enhancing the ability of producers to improve their incomes through the digital economy,” the statement said.
Azael López, representative of the Colombian Agrarian Cooperative, highlighted the importance of this technological infrastructure for the agricultural sector. “I am promoting the installation of Starlink antennas for all producer associations free of charge, so that they can connect to an e-commerce platform and sell without intermediaries,” said López.
Authorizations required for installation
Although the installation of satellite dishes is key to improving connectivity in rural areas, any deployment of digital infrastructure must be authorized by the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (MinTIC).
This entity is in charge of supervising and monitoring signals in the areas where these devices are implemented.
For her part, María Fernanda Quiñones, executive president of the CCCE, reaffirmed the entity’s commitment to the digitization of Colombian agriculture. “Each antenna installed is the result of a planned and transparent investment, aimed at supporting the digital transformation of farmers and improving their access to the digital economy,” she said.
