Miguel Victor Durian

Listening to change: FAO-supported rural radio initiatives boost climate action

WATCH: Rural radio: Listening to change (WRD 2025) LISTEN: 80 ans de la FAO / Les radios rurales: des ondes qui rapprochent les communauté (in French) As the world marks World Radio Day 2025 on 13 February under the theme Radio and Climate Change, it is worth reflecting on the fundamental role of radio in rural communication. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, disrupting food systems, natural resources, livelihoods

COPEAM to announce winners of 2025 World Radio Day contest in February

In celebration of the 2025 World Radio Day, COPEAM, in partnership with UNESCO, introduced the inaugural edition of the international competition “Radio Bridges – Joint Actions for the Climate” in January 2025. Winners will be announced on 13 February 2025. Aiming to recognize the power of radio in addressing the climate crisis through local and global solutions, the contest seeks to foster and support collaboration among radio stations globally and

Study highlights role of participatory Devcom in agricultural impact assessment

Applying Participatory Development Communication theory to impact assessment fosters active community involvement and empowerment. Shifting from top-down to bottom-up approaches, where local communities design and assess indicators using their local resources, skills, and knowledge, is vital for sustainable development. This enables them to drive decision making and effect change. This was recommended by a paper by Nguyen and colleagues, published in the Australian National University’s (AUN) The Development Bulletin. The

IAMCR 2025 Conference happening in July

The International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites you to its 2025 conference, which will be held in Singapore from 13 to 17 July 2025, hosted by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University. The 2025 central theme is “Communicating Environmental Justice: Many Voices, One Planet.” Other thematic areas include The Role of AI in Environmental Communication, Promoting Environmental Journalism, Diversity in

Drones transform rice farming in Asia-Pacific

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is utilizing drones to revolutionize rice farming in countries in the Asia-Pacific region like India and the Philippines, reports ComDev Asia. In recent years, drone technology has garnered significant attention in the agriculture sector due to its potential to boost efficiency and productivity amidst growing challenges and threats. Drones are now being used for various critical farming tasks, including automated seeding, real-time crop health

FONTAGRO in Latin America announces 2025 Call for Proposals

FONTAGRO announces the 2025 Call for Proposals to co-finance innovative projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. This initiative seeks to identify proposals that promote the efficiency and resilience of agri-food systems, while also promoting the development of innovative and sustainable agricultural products, according to a report by Onda Rural. Deadline of submission is on April 11, 2025, at 3:00 pm (Eastern Time in the United States, Washington DC). For

Call for papers: FAO, IAMCR announce 2025 Rural Communication Services research award

The Rural Communication (RUC) Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of abstracts for its 2025 conference, which will be held in Singapore from 13 to 17 July 2025, hosted by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University. As part of the conference, IAMCR, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Award-winning radio program champions gender equality in West Africa

Radio Jamana’s Kodon Yiriba, the 2024 Liz Hughes Award runner-up for Her Farm Radio, is a transformative program addressing gender equality and social issues in Mali’s Koutiala region, reports Yenkasa Africa.  Co-hosted by Ibrahim Dembele and Maïmouna Ouattara, the weekly show raises awareness about sexual harassment and family issues, empowering listeners to report incidents and fostering community dialogue.  Targeting a diverse audience, including parents, adolescents, and local leaders, it collaborates

FAO, ComDev Asia, and Yenkasa Africa team up for 5-day Participatory Video Training

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), ComDev Asia, and Yenkasa Africa organized back-to-back Virtual Participatory Video (PV) Training in Agri-Food Systems and Digital Environments for Asia-Pacific and Africa from Nov. 19- Dec. 2, 2024 via Zoom.  The training was based on FAO’s Participatory Video  guide and e-learning course and was done in partnership with Digital Green and the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of

Participatory video boosts adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa - study

In Upper West Ghana, Africa, farmer social groups play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among local farmers. A 2024 paper by Kwapong and colleagues highlighted how these groups, coupled with participatory video (PV), serve as effective agents for raising awareness, facilitating learning, and promoting the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies and practices. By integrating farmers’ perspectives on CSA innovations through PV and collective knowledge-sharing, the