Nia Tero 2022 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 46
INFRASTRUCTURE & INNOVATION
One of Nia Tero’s unique strengths lies in our investments
in infrastructure—supporting our partners in their selfdetermined aspirations for guardianship. Our infrastructure
priorities include funding the integration of energy, transportation,
and telecommunication platforms within collective territories.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Kara Solar was the first organization
to deploy solar-electric boats in the
Amazon with the Achuar of Ecuador,
but reliability and the need for frequent
repairs proved to be an issue. With the
assistance and funding provided by Nia
Tero, electric boats have since proven
to be highly reliable. We are pleased
to report that in 2022, over 350 electric
boat trips were completed with great
success in Achuar territory. To further
identify long-term success factors for
electric boats across Amazonia, Nia
Tero initiated a supply chain study to
learn more about their effectiveness
and sustainability. We held discussions
on solar boat co-design with new
Indigenous partners from across
Amazonia and Pasifika—a collaborative
effort that resulted in the adaptation
of boat designs to meet the unique
requirements of local communities.
The deployment of electric boats not
only offers reliable transportation, but
also brings supplemental benefits to
our partners, such as solar-powered
recharge stations that fulfill daily energy
needs, including telecommunications.
This new reliability happened
because the Achuar crew has total
46
2022 NIA TERO ANNUAL REPORT
autonomy and operational control of
the electric boats, having gained the
ability to integrate the management
of complex electric vehicles as
part of their traditional methods of
guardianship. Innovation continued
with the deployment of prototype
telecommunication ‘Hermes’ boxes,
which use classic two-way radios to
transmit digital files (text, photos), and
thus provide a rugged, cost-effective,
and secure form of telecommunication
that is well-matched to the needs of
certain Indigenous communities.
Our 3rd annual Technodigenous
event was a remarkable success,
held virtually over three days in May
2022. Technodigenous facilitates frank
and constructive ongoing discussion
between practitioners, technologists,
and thinkers about the differences
in perspectives of technological
development, the ethical challenges of
interaction, and possible sets of guiding
principles for the co-design, adaptation,
and deployment of technological
solutions in Indigenous territories.
We had the privilege of virtually hosting
70 attendees from 12 countries,
engaging in vibrant discussions and
sharing best practices on the topic of
“Diversity of Tenure and Technology.”
