The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) has recently released five publications on rural communication services. Rural Communication Services (RCS) include a wide range of communication processes, activities, media applications, and institutional arrangements to respond to the communication needs of family farmers and the rural population. In collaboration with CCComDev and regional Communication for Development initiatives such as ComDev Asia, YenKasa Africa, and Onda Rural, multiple efforts are being made to mainstream RCS into family farming policies and programmes. These include a series of consultations, fora and studies to assess trends and collect evidence on RCS.
The publications include the following titles and can be freely downloaded from the UN-FAO website:
Rural communication services for family farming: Results of a global forum
The Global Action Plan of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–2028 (UNDFF) recognizes the need to promote rural communication services (RCS) to advance sustainable food systems. RCS comprise demand-led communication processes, media applications and institutional arrangements to respond to the needs of family farmers and rural populations in a sustained and inclusive manner.This report presents a comprehensive summary of the virtual UNDFF Forum on Inclusive Rural Communication Services for Family Farming, which took place on 11 July 2022. Organized by FAO’s Communication for Development (ComDev) team, in collaboration with specialized communication entities, the forum marked the global culmination of an extensive consultative process. The report captures the key outcomes, insights, and strategic recommendations from these global and regional processes, offering guidance for promoting and advancing RCS for family farmers.
Download it here.
Transforming rural Africa: Trends and experiences in rural communication services
The UN Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028) acknowledges the importance of inclusive rural communication services (RCS) to advance economic, environmental and social dimensions of family farming. Focusing on Africa, this study examines the role of RCS in rural transformation and family farming and provides insights for the region. Through case studies and a review of media and ICT trends and policies, it highlights the need for participatory, farmer-centred communication approaches and responsive delivery mechanisms aligned with local socioeconomic realities. The study concludes with recommendations for embedding RCS into national policies, thereby opening new development opportunities for family farmers and rural communities in the Africa region.
Download it here.
Rural communication services: Trends and experiences in Asia and the Pacific
The United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019–2028) acknowledges the importance of inclusive rural communication services (RCS) to advance the economic, environmental and social dimensions of family farming. This study examines RCS’s role in family farming and rural transformation in Asia and the Pacific, integrating case studies with media and information technology trends to emphasize the need for participatory, farmer-centred communication aligned with local realities.The study concludes with recommendations for embedding RCS into national policies, fostering development opportunities for family farmers and rural communities in the region.
Download it here.
Rural communication services for family farming in Africa: Regional consultation and forum
The Global Action Plan of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–2028 (UNDFF) recognizes the need to promote Rural Communication Services (RCS) to advance sustainable food systems. RCS comprise demand-led communication processes, media applications and institutional arrangements to respond to the needs of family farmers and rural populations in a sustained and inclusive manner. This report summarizes the results and takeaways of online consultations and a virtual Regional Forum on RCS for Family Farming in Africa, organized in 2022 by Yenkasa Africa, a regional communication initiative, in collaboration with FAO, farmers’ organizations, rural institutions and communication networks.
Download it here.
Rural communication services for family farming in Asia and the Pacific: Regional consultation and forum
The Global Action Plan of the UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF 2019-28) recognizes the need to promote rural communication services (RCS) to advance sustainable food systems. RCS comprise demand-led communication processes, media applications and institutional arrangements to respond to the needs of family farmers and rural populations in a sustained and inclusive manner. This report summarizes the results and takeaways of online consultations and a virtual Regional Forum on RCS for Family Farming in Asia and the Pacific, organized in 2022 by ComDev Asia (CDA), a regional communication initiative, in collaboration with FAO, farmers’ organizations, rural institutions and communication networks.
Download it here.
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