"Through two case studies, this paper evaluates the value of the feminist visual methodology Photovoice as an interactive consultation tool with rural Rwandan women working in agriculture. This exploratory study suggests that it is possible, through an adapted Photovoice process, to engage and empow
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er women in the production of information about what is most relevant to them, and reach and engage practitioners and officials through an exhibition of participants' photographs and captions. This confirmation of Photovoice's applicability with rural women in the generation of information that captures the attention of stakeholders demonstrates its potential for reproducibility in other development contexts." (Abstract)
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"[...] FAO’s Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension (OEK) organized an Expert Consultation on Communication for Development: Meeting Today’s Agriculture and Rural Development Challenges, that was held at FAO headquarters from 14 to 16 September, 2011. The main purpose was to identi
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fy challenges and strategic actions to maximize ComDev contribution to the agriculture and rural development sector, while positioning it in the work of the Organization. The Expert Consultation was organized by the FAO ComDev team in collaboration with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD). The event brought together 32 international ComDev experts and representatives from development agencies, donors, NGOs, communication networks, rural institutions and the academic community. Participants identified key challenges and strategic areas for ComDev support to agriculture and rural development (e.g. food security, innovation systems, climate change adaptation) such as capacity development for rural institutions and projects, interface with other approaches such as knowledge management, convergence between mass and community media, need for regulatory frameworks, and access to funding. Special attention was given to the need for documenting ComDev impact in the field and for mainstreaming ComDev into agricultural policies and programs." (Executive summary)
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"In Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the rate at which listeners’ clubs are being formed and the fact that the approach is now being reproduced in various settings are indications of the success of this strategy and the extent to which it is proving sustainable. In South Kivu, for
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example, a new formula has been tested with excellent results: the introduction of Farmer Field and Life Schools has been supported by existing community listeners’ clubs. In addition, a process for evaluating the impact of the clubs has revealed an unexpected but promising factor: the improved capacity of club members to engage in more formal rural structures. In this sense, the clubs are paving the way for greater participation of women in producers’ organizations and rural cooperatives. The success of the clubs has led to the setting up of new projects in Burundi, Senegal, Mauritania and the DRC (Oriental Province). At the request of various organizations and agencies, FAO-Dimitra is helping to implement these projects based on gender sensitive participatory methodologies that are flexible and well adapted, with a goal that remains unchanged: the empowerment of men and women in a rural environment." (Editorial, page 2)
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"L’atteinte des objectifs de sécurité alimentaire, de nutrition et d’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes passe par l’application d’approches de développement visant à donner aux communautés rurales l’occasion de participer et de prendre en main leur futur. Parmi les nombreuses ap
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proches utilisées par la FAO, il en est une qui est efficace pour permettre aux groupes les plus marginalisés, dont les femmes, de s’approprier leur développement et de parvenir à une autonomisation économique et sociale: il s’agit de l’introduction du genre dans la communication pour le développement. Les capacités dans le domaine sont assez rares pour exploiter toute la force de cette démarche et il y a relativement peu de réflexions théoriques en la matière. Le projet FAO-Dimitra partage son expérience avec la publication Communiquer le genre pour le développement rural. Celle-ci est destinée à tous les agents et agentes de développement et vise à encourager l’introduction d’une perspective genre dans les actions de communication pour le développement en milieu rural. Elle propose des ouvertures pratiques pour le faire, entendant ainsi susciter des réflexes afin que les projets et programmes incluent davantage les spécificités, besoins et aspirations des hommes et des femmes." (Dos de couverture)
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"Este es un libro que abarca diferentes enfoques, modalidades y metodologías de extensión de ayer, de hoy, con visión de futuro. Hace revivir la teoría de difusión de innovaciones y el proceso de innovación-decisión. Además, hace mención a metodologías y medios tradicionales de extensión
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como visitas a finca, reuniones grupales, giras, días de campo, radio y televisión así como a las modernas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TICs). En la parte final del libro y en sus anexos, se da atención especial a la evaluación económica y social de sistemas de Extensión Rural, con énfasis especial en el Proyecto “Manejo Sostenible de Recursos Naturales”, que ejecuta el Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería del Paraguay con la Cooperación Técnica y Financiera de la República Federal de Alemania." (Presentación, página 13)
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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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"As part of its initiatives to make Information and Communication Technology (ICT) work for the poor, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with four countries in east Africa initiated and carried out a joint project on Pro-Poor ICT. The said countries are Kenya, Rwanda, T
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anzania and Uganda. Primarily, the project aims at designing a community-owned network that will empower the poor people especially in rural areas by providing them with reliable and adequate access to ICT resources and facilities. Furthermore, such resources and facilities will be shared among the people in the area to bring down the operational costs hence ensure affordability to the majority without compromising the quality. In the process consultants from each of the four countries were engaged. Each of the consultants were given nearly the same terms of reference (ToR) to see to it that they all deliver uniform research outcomes that are, of course, tailored to the specificities of a given country. In Tanzania, consultants were from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH). A case study for Tanzania was completed in Bugabo Division of Bukoba District in Kagera Region. The area is in the lake zone along Lake Victoria. The population in Bugabo is about 40,000 people (2002 Census). It is proposed to implement a non-line of sight wireless technology network such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) to cover the division. The major proposed services to be offered by such a local wireless network are Voice and Data. Since the area does not have adequate coverage of GSM Network services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) facility was proposed. Initial investment cost for the entire project was estimated to US$ 84,040 details of which can be viewed in the report. The annual current cost for the first year was estimated to US$ 93,008 and the annual income for the first year of operation was estimated to US$ 258,000. Section four of the report clearly outlines details of the estimates for initial investment cost, current annual cost, income and expenditure." (Executive summary)
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