ComDev Stories

FAO launches the UN Decade of Family Farming

Global launch of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028) will be held on 27 to 29 May 2019 at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy spearheaded by UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) hopes to provide knowledge and awareness on how a family farmer is an important key player in eradicating hunger and shaping

Equator Prize 2019 awards local innovative climate solutions

Twenty-two (22) local and indigenous communities worldwide won in the 10th Equator Prize as announced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and partners last 5 June 2019 in New York, USA. These organization which showcased innovative, nature-based solutions for tackling climate change, environment, and poverty challenges will be honored on 24 September 2019 at a celebratory gala in New York.This year, Equator prize awarded the groups from Guniea-Bissau for the

UN Decade of Family Farming starts this May 2019

Building on the success of the International Year of Family Farming last 2014, a Global Launch of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming will take place at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, Italy on 29 May 2019. The activity will be co-organized by the FAO and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) as the Joint Secretariat of the UN Decade.  Prior to the launch, a

In Focus: The Family Farming and Rural Territorial Development Initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Panorama of Rural Poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean, an FAO publication published in 2018, reported that for the first time in a decade, poverty in the rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean has increased. It further stated that rural poverty in the region increased by two million between 2014 and 2016, reaching a total of 59 million.  The Family Farming and Rural Territorial Development Initiative is a priority

International Food Safety Conference pushes for improvements

During the opening session of the First International Food Safety Conference in Addis Ababa, world leaders pointed out the need for greater international cooperation to prevent unsafe food, one of the causes of sickness and hamper sustainable development.  The goal of this conference is to identify key actions that will ensure the availability of, and access to, safe food now and in the future. In order to achieve this, a

New Publications: Social media, big data analytics and innovation networks*

Researchers and practitioners are embarking on topics, such as digital agriculture, big data and social media. The research program of Dr. Ataharul Chowdhury aligns with this exploration and seeks to advance understanding about innovative use of social and collaborative media for enhancing knowledge mobilization, learning and innovation networks of agricultural professionals. He has been collaborating on several studies to investigate social and collaborative media for supporting innovation networks of agricultural

Bangladesh announces its Community Radio Policy 2017

Despite its important role, community radios are confronted time and again with the issue of sustaining their operation. With no regular source of revenue, many have remained poorly equipped and understaffed.  This challenge, among other ones, has led to the formulation of a new and timely policy in Bangladesh, thereby terminating the old one. As a result, the Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2017 is now in effect

Knowledge-sharing and partnerships as key to eradicate poverty and hunger by 2030

(A joint release) A high-level delegation of the Government of China, representatives from Italy, several African countries and United Nations officials, participated today in a workshop aimed at boosting the sharing of knowledge and building partnerships to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on eradicating hunger and extreme poverty by 2030. The workshop, attended by over 90 international experts, and including participants from academia and the private sector, was jointly organized

2018 SBCC Summit held

About 1,150 participants from 429 organizations gathered to attend the 2018 Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) Summit on 16-20 April 2018 in Nusa Dua, Indonesia. This year’s Summit theme was “Shifting Norms, Changing Behavior, Amplifying Voices: What Works?” that featured entertainment-education.  The Summit kicked off with an Opening Remark by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and Keynote Addresses of Dr. Mohamad Subuh, health economics advisor at Indonesia’s Ministry

Celebrating Asian Contributions to Communication for Development

A forthcoming chapter in a book celebrates the Asian contributions to Communication for Development (ComDev). The chapter highlights seven of these contributions in order to demonstrate the fundamental concerns that drive the agenda, processes, and partnerships in the field.  The seven contributions of Asian scholars, practitioners, and community partners to ComDev which have been expounded in the chapter include: schools of thought, offering of professional degrees, participatory planning, inclusive rural