"When asked by a Mozambican firm to assist in the development of a communication strategy for the country’s Land Law, we had doubts. We had read about the issue of ‘land grabbing’ in Africa and feared we might become part of that problem. We knew that any communication strategy devoted solely
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to outreach and public relations would not reach the illiterate farmer. But when the client agreed that the strategy would include a component focused on communicating with and from the small rural landowner, we accepted the contract. We worked well with the local team and delivered the product on time. However, a year later we learned that the component allowing for feedback from rural farmers had been cut, and that the strategy was yet to be implemented. What went wrong? And will the communication strategy do some good, or will it contribute to people giving up land under false promises?" (Abstract)
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"This is an applied facilitator’s guide for reform managers, change agents, development practitioners, and training professionals who need to use smart communication techniques—the relevant concepts, frameworks and applications—to promote change through governance reform. It is grounded on the
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expert knowledge and practical research from academics and scholars and practitioners in the field, culled and enriched from CommGAP’s series of global dialogue on key governance issues." (Back cover)
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"FAO and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Territory have agreed to a joint initiative named Communication for Sustainable Development Initiative (CSDI) to strengthen national efforts in the applications of ComDev approaches and strategies to sustainable development policies and programmes, as
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well as to food security and rural livelihoods. Special attention is given to the application of ComDev activities and initiatives to climate change adaptation in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors and in sustainable natural resources management. Within this framework, CSDI fielded two missions in Bangladesh to support FAO Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC) project, which is currently in its second phase. Particularly, two consultants in Communication and in ICT for Development and Environment visited LACC stakeholders at both national and local levels. This was done to systematize lessons learned on the role of communication within project activities as well as to design a proposal for an ad hoc ComDev and ICT component for the next phase of the Project." (Introduction, page 1)
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"This publication focuses on participatory communication and seeks to provide guidance to IFAD staff on developing a participatory communication strategy to strengthen the impact of participatory mapping initiatives. The publication is a follow-up to The IFAD adaptive approach to participatory mappi
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ng and has been developed to complement the adaptive approach. While this publication has been developed primarily to support participatory mapping initiatives, we hope that it also can be used as a guide for developing participatory communication strategies in general." (Foreword, page 3)
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"The multipurpose Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) is designed to transfer water from the water-abundant highlands of Lesotho to the Gauteng region of South Africa (its industrial heartland) and provide hydropower to Lesotho through a series of dams, weirs, delivery tunnels, and associated inf
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rastructure (see Box 1). In addition, for Lesotho, one of the primary objectives of the LHWP is to utilize its export revenues toward poverty alleviation and economic stability [...] Being the largest binational water transfer scheme in the world and because of its phasing (Phase I was divided into two very large sub phases, Phase IA and Phase IB, which were followed by the feasibility studies for Phase II), the lessons learned in this case study are multifaceted. They are discussed under the headings of overall perspective; governance; sustainability (focusing on its physical, institutional, fi nancial, environmental, and social aspects as well as its impacts in poverty alleviation); and communication. This is followed by a summary of the lessons learned progressively in moving through the fi rst two phases of the project. The synopsis closes with a look at the lessons learned from the involvement of the World Bank in the project. Because of the complexity of this project, selectivity has been applied in the topics discussed, including focusing mostly on Lesotho." (Synopsis, page ix-x)
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"This review from the BBC World Service Trust examines why and how the role of communication can be mainstreamed into programme-based approaches (PBAs), one of the main methods now used by bilateral donors to disburse funding to developing countries. The review, which has been developed in associati
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on with (but is published independently of) the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), is intended for three types of audience: communication and media practitioners who work in support of development objectives, or who have a link with the development and aid sectors; donors and developing country policymakers concerned with increasing public understanding and engagement within developing countries with the development system; and country-based organisations that provide technical support and conduct advocacy to prioritise communication and media issues among donors and governments." (Executive summary)
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"The Five Communication Management Decision Tool helps reformers and their teams develop a framework for their communication strategies. This decision tool helps managers see change initiatives through the eyes of those who will be affected by the reforms. When the decision tool is used in the early
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stages of the development of change programs, reformers gain an even deeper understanding of the stakeholders’ perspectives on the reforms, which influences stakeholder opposition or support for them. Such understanding will not only be instructive, but possibly transformative—for both change agents and those stakeholders whose support is critical to the success of reform. Reform agents may recognize the source of stakeholder resistance and be able to revise reform goals and redesign change interventions. Stakeholders who have a shared understanding of why the status quo is not acceptable and change is necessary are more likely to create coalitions of committed allies and supporters who will work together to achieve reform goals. This workbook illustrates how the decision tool can be used for various types of change and reform initiatives—from policy reform, to country and donor partnership agreements, to sectoral reforms." (Back cover)
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"This article offers an explanation for the limited uses of participatory communication in development by taking an institutionalist perspective that examines prevalent notions about communication and organizational uses in international aid institutions. The argument is that institutional goals and
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dynamics determine the use of disciplinary and theoretical approaches. The selection of specific communication approaches is not primarily based on their analytical or normative value, but rather, on institutional factors and expectations. Institutional dynamics undercut the potential contributions of participatory communication in three ways. First, bureaucratic requirements favor the use of informational models over participatory approaches to communication. Standard institutional procedures inside development agencies, donors and governments perpetuate understandings and uses of communication as a set of technical skills to disseminate messages. Second, the weak status of communication as a field of study and practice in development organizations undermine the prospects for expanding the understanding of communication that do not fit prevalent institutional expectations. As long as technical experts in public health or other fields expect communication to be ‘the art of messaging,’ communication staff lacks autonomy to make decisions and incorporate participatory approaches. Third, the institutional predominance of a technical mindset also limits the uses of participation thinking. The prioritization of technical perspectives decouples ‘development’ programs from local processes of participation and change." (Abstract)
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"This Awareness and Communication Strategy fulfils the call for establishing sector specific (Water Sector) strategies and crafting, packaging and dissemination of messages and themes which should be based on but not limited to SADC’s priority intervention areas. It is basically expanding the SADC
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Communication Programme of Action presented in the SADC Communications and Promotional Strategy by outlining a communication agenda for the SADC Water Division and the Water Sector as a whole." (Executive summary)
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"Los proyectos de desarrollo, en tanto acciones tendientes a poner en práctica los derechos humanos, requieren de intervenciones que tengan en cuenta la participación de las personas. Estos modelos participativos no pretenden únicamente lograr mejores resultados, sino convertirse en herramientas
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para el fortalecimiento de lo público, entendido como aquello que conviene a todos, para su dignidad. Lo público así entendido, necesita a su vez de una ciudadanía motivada y activa, capaz de crear cambios sociales cooperativamente. Ahora bien, nadie puede desear participar en lo que no conoce, por lo tanto, es impensable un proyecto de este tipo que no considere la dimensión comunicacional. Será necesario entonces que como comunicadores nos preguntemos: ¿Lograremos nuestros objetivos a través de proyectos que no tengan sentido para las personas implicadas? ¿Cómo llegar a poblaciones con diferentes culturas, diferentes contextos sociales, diferentes visiones de su “estar en el mundo”? Este segundo cuadernillo gira alrededor de estas preguntas, desde lo metodológico. Su objetivo fundamental es poner a disposición de los comunicadores herramientas de planificación que les permitan intervenir eficazmente en proyectos de desarrollo, cualquiera sea el rol que les toque desempeñar." (Presentación, página 7)
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"An e-Conference addressing the role of communication in sustainable tourism development took place between May 29 and June 9, 2006. The World Bank, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) envisioned the forum as a means to bring together dev
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elopment practitioners, tourism professionals, decision-makers, academicians and communication specialists representing various national institutions, private sector and media organizations, NGOs, international institutions, and donors active in the field of communication and sustainable tourism to discuss the role that communication can play in designing and implementing sustainable tourism strategies and projects at national and local levels; to share experiences, information and perspectives; to identify and share lessons learned and best practices; and to consolidate knowledge on development communication in sustainable tourism programs. Discussions focused on the following topics: The role that communication can play in designing and implementing sustainable tourism strategies and projects at national and local levels; The importance of sharing experiences, information and perspectives; Identification of lessons learned and most effective practices; and The exchange of knowledge on development communication in sustainable tourism programs." (Introduction)
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