Communication for Development: Research into Practice

Forum on Communication for Development & Community Media for Family Farming

October 23, 2013

CGIAR works from award winning science to impact on the ground

Charity Mutegi, CGIAR scientist winning the Norman Borlaug Field Award for her work on aflatoxins

Farmers Field Day on aflatoxins in Nigeria

Participatory evaluation The We RATE clearinghouse

Exchange on soybean value addition in We RATE

Participatory evaluation The We RATE clearinghouse

Evidence :

• formed a stakeholder platform • developed into an organization of 26 farmer

associations and Kenyan NGOs• stakeholder platform uses face-to-face

communication (e.g. farmer field days) and mobile phones

• works at the grassroots level for testing and applying new farm technologies

• operates in partnership with county extension, the private sector and research organizations

Participatory evaluation The We RATE clearinghouse

Constraints::• Limited access to information• Non-appropriate communication tools proposed by development

and research agencies (hi-tech, low impact)• Local media are ignoring farmers’ needs• Limited development from evaluation to research design

Needs:• Data on farmers’ needs• Development of inclusive research programs• Strengthening of ground-up communication• Include farmers in communication tools development (e.g. testing)

Participatory evaluation The We RATE clearinghouse

Asante sana.