Consider This from NPR In Panama economic needs threaten to erase a way of life
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Feb 13, 2025 Panama is grappling with a looming water crisis as drought conditions force authorities to propose a dam that threatens over 2,000 residents' homes. The impact on local coffee cultivation highlights the clash between cultural heritage and environmental conservation. Experts discuss alarming changes in tropical rainforests caused by El Niño, revealing urgent ecological concerns. Community members unite to resist the dam, amplifying their voices against displacement and advocating for the preservation of their way of life.
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Life on the Rio Indio
- Digna Benite lives by the Rio Indio and describes the river as her whole life.
- She grew up there, played in the water, and her father fished there.
The Need for a Dam
- The Panama Canal Authority plans to build the Rio Indio Dam, displacing over 2,000 people.
- This is due to the canal's need for more freshwater, highlighted by a recent drought impacting global shipping.
Loss of Nature
- Digna Benite expresses her sadness at the potential loss of her natural surroundings if the dam is built.
- She describes making coffee from beans she picks herself and enjoys the natural harmony of her life.