Miguel Victor Durian

Dr. Li Zhang: Agricultural technology adoption through trust building in rural China

Despite advances in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) designed to enhance agricultural production while protecting the environment, many farmers remain hesitant to adopt innovations that can improve productivity and sustainability. However, addressing this trust gap has become essential for advancing rural development due to increasing climate and resource challenges. In rural areas where information access can vary, what drives farmers to adopt new agricultural technologies and what holds them back? Dr. Li

Dr. Mohammad Sahid Ullah: Rural ICT Empowerment in Bangladesh

Rural Bangladesh faces development challenges due to limited access to government services and information, significantly affecting community empowerment and socio-economic progress. The Union Digital Centre (UDC) initiative, launched by the Bangladeshi government with support from international partners, aims to tackle this by providing ICT-based services at the grassroots level. By decentralizing access to these services, it aims to reduce the burden on rural residents who had no choice but to

Dr. Subekti Priyadharma: Indonesia’s Pioneering Rural Connectivity Strategy

Access to reliable internet remains limited or entirely absent in many rural areas in the world, leaving millions cut off from opportunities in basic human needs, such as education, healthcare, livelihoods, and civic participation. In Indonesia, an archipelagic nation of over 17,000 islands, this digital divide remains a pressing problem. Bridging this gap requires inclusive strategies that prioritize community ownership, cultural sensitivity, and sustainable development. How can this be filled?

Facilitating dialogue and knowledge sharing for collaborative change: FAO’s Communication for Development efforts and perspectives

An interview with Mario Acunzo, Head of FAO’s Communication for Development (ComDev) Team In this interview, Mario Acunzo shares insights on the continued relevance of Communication for Development (ComDev) in today’s world. He highlights how participatory communication approaches are essential to fostering inclusion, encouraging local engagement and facilitating knowledge sharing, critical elements for achieving sustainable food systems and advancing rural development. For those who aren’t familiar with ComDev – what is it

FAO/IAMCR Award Winners 2025

IAMCR and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are delighted to announce the 2025 FAO/IAMCR Rural Communication Services Awards winners. These awards recognise outstanding research that advances our understanding of Rural Communication Services (RCS) in areas such as agriculture, family farming, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, food security, and disaster risk reduction and management. The winners of the 2025 FAO/IAMCR Rural Communication Services Awards are:

The Rise of Development Communication in Pakistani Universities: A New Path to Sustainable Development

International development organizations such as the FAO, UNDP, and World Bank have been helping national governments and non-government organizations in supporting development initiatives globally, including in Pakistan. The major focus of these organizations is on sectors like agriculture, education, healthcare, and infrastructure to address poverty, food insecurity, climate change, and inequality among others. Through various initiatives like Communication for Development project design, developing C4D strategies, and implementing DevCom components, they

AMARC ALC, UNESCO to hold MIL training for community radios

The World Association of Community Radio Stations for Latin America and the Caribbean (AMARC LAC), in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will hold a training this 2025 aiming to strengthen the work of community radio stations on Media and Information Literacy (MIL), reports Onda Rural.  It will be entitled “Community Radio Stations in Latin America and the Caribbean Promote and Work on Media and Information

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: K4GGWA Env’t Programme in Africa

The Knowledge for Great Green Wall Action (K4GGWA) programme is inviting civil society organizations and dedicated stakeholders from 18 eligible African countries to submit their environmental advocacy project proposals, reports Yenkasa Africa. Prospective applicants may apply here. Deadline of application is on May 18, 2025, while the notice of acceptance will be sent by June 15, 2025. Funding of up to $30,000 and technical support await the winning proposal. K4GGWA

Asian, African youth use PV to tell food stories

In Vietnam, Kenya, and Ethiopia, young people are using the power of Participatory Video (PV) to tell stories of food diversity in their communities, reports ComDev Asia. Fifty-four (54) adolescents took part in producing the PV and in co-designing food environment initiatives with local stakeholders.  Read more in this article by ComDevAsia.

The Communication Society for Social Change: Building Communities in La Union, the Philippines

In a rural state university in South La Union in Northern Philippines, the Communication Society (CommSoc) is reinventing the methodology of community development. An organization I co-founded in 2022 with a cohort of student leaders who share my whims for community change, CommSoc has been the fruition of my PhD scholarship at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. With the awards conferred by Raniag ken Boses ti Agtutubo (RBA)