ComDev News

UN-FAO announces winner, finalists of Innovations for and by Family Farmer Video Contest

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) announced the winner and finalists of the Innovations for and by Family Farmer Video Contest, which are from Latin America and Asia, on its website on September 30, 2024. Titled “Between beehives and roots, the story of a farming family in northern Chile,” the winning entry was about a beekeeper and fruit farmer named Aroldo Gaete, who is passionate and dedicated about

Global Family Forum happening on 15-18 October

In 2024, the UNDFF is at its halfway point. To mark this important milestone, a Global Family Farming Forum will be held at FAO Headquarters between 15 and 18 October 2024. Co-organized by FAO and IFAD, the event will celebrate family farming as the backbone of diverse, innovative and dynamic agrifood systems; identify policy innovations that support family farming and showcase examples of successful experiences from all over the world.

New FAO publications on RCS

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

Onda Rural tackles initiatives with community radio stations in Argentina

In an interview with Radio Central Ferroviaria in Argentina on August 24, Gissela Dávila, the general director of the International Center for Advanced Studies in Communication for Latin America (CIESPAL), discussed the work of Onda Rural and its advocacies addressing development issues such as food sovereignty and family farming. Dávila emphasized the significance of establishing communication networks among community media in Latin America and the Caribbean. She also highlighted the

Yenkasa Africa celebrates International Youth Day 2024

Yenkasa Africa celebrated International Youth Day 2024 on August 12, which had the theme “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” This was aligned with the platform’s mission of achieving food security through innovative digital solutions. Yenkasa Africa also recognizes how young people, as digital natives, can become catalysts of change in the current digital age. Three of its ComDev programs that engage the youth sector to

ComDev Asia supports 1st YFCA

The Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) held its inaugural Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics (YFCA) in the Philippines on August 12-16, 2024, at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna.  The event was organized in collaboration with the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) and the Pacific Farmer Organization (PFO) and supported by various government and non-government agencies, such as ComDev Asia. It aimed to

WATCH: 2024 IAMCR/FAO RCS awardees’ paper presentations

If you missed this year’s IAMCR conference, here is your chance to watch the presentations of the recipients of the IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research)/FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) Rural Communication Services (RCS) Research Awards during the 2024 IAMCR Conference held in Christchurch, New Zealand on July 4, 2024. The RCS awardees Ibnu Budiman of Bogor Agriculture University, Indonesia was recognized for his

Decolonizing communication: Key insights from the RUC Working Group at IAMCR 2024

Over 20 abstract papers exploring decolonizing communication as a theme were lined up for presentation during the Rural Communication (RUC) panel sessions at the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference 2024 at Christchurch, New Zealand last June 30 to July 4, 2024. The abstracts presented by the RUC Working Group emphasized the intersection between technology, culture, and communication in addressing the unique needs and challenges of different

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Global Innovation Challenge on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization and Farmer Field Schools

DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED UNTIL 10 JULY 2024! The Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) and the Office of Innovation (OIN)  are delighted to announce the launch of the Global Innovation Challenge on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization and Farmer Field Schools for small-scale producers Apply here! THE GAP Sustainable agricultural mechanization (SAM) is crucial for increasing productivity, creating jobs, and generating income in rural communities. However, rural communities, especially youth and women,

IAMCR, FAO announce winners of 2024 RCS Research Awards

IAMCR and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are delighted to announce the 2024 IAMCR/FAO 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 2024 IAMCR/FAO Rural Communication Services Awards are: