1. Outside the village of Niveneso in Ghana, Naki is sitting on the ground, working with cocoa pods.

Question

1. Outside the village of Niveneso in Ghana, Naki is sitting on the ground, working with cocoa pods.

2. Outside the village of Niveneso in Ghana, Naki is sitting on the ground, while/as she was working with cocoa pods.

(Does #1 mean #2? Are both the same in emaning?)

Answer 1

1. Outside the village of Niveneso in Ghana, Naki is sitting on the ground, working with cocoa pods.

They would be identical in meaning if you use "works" -- present tense to match the present tense of the main verb (is sitting).