Jointly developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the College of Development Communication of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (CDC-UPLB), the Communication for Rural Development Sourcebook compiles a full set of guidelines, methodologies and tips for applying communication to agricultural and rural development initiatives.
Who it’s for
Communication practitioners, development professionals and field workers engaged in FAO projects and other development initiatives dealing with natural resource management, food security and nutrition, agricultural innovation, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and management, among others. In particular trainers and facilitators will find the sourcebook useful for developing ad hoc programmes to enhance the communication skills of field workers and rural communities.
Objectives
Enable learners to design and implement locally relevant and sustainable communication strategies combining participatory methods with appropriate communication processes and tools.
The sourcebook aims to develop the following capacities:
- Identifying the phases and steps in communication planning for development.
- Conducting situational analysis and participatory communication appraisal in the field.
- Developing a workable communication strategy and plan of action.
- Facilitating multistakeholder dialogue and collaboration to successfully implement ComDev activities.
- Designing, pre-testing, producing and using multimedia ComDev materials.
- Assessing the results of ComDev initiatives and promoting long-term sustainability.
- Applying ComDev to agriculture and rural development issues.
Content
Module 1. Introduction to ComDev planning
Module 2. Participatory communication appraisal
Module 3. Designing the ComDev strategy and plan
Module 4. Implementing the ComDev plan
Module 5. Participatory message and materials development
Module 6. Assessing results and fostering sustainability
Module 7. Applying ComDev to rural development challenges
In addition, a Guide to ComDev Training contains practical tips for planning and delivering effective ComDev training using the Sourcebook, including how to tailor-fit the content to stakeholders’ learning needs and practical aspects such as venue, duration, training methods or learning aids.
Download the Communication for Rural Development Sourcebook here!
We welcome your feedback and would love to know how you are using or planning to use the Sourcebook. We are also available to offer mentoring and coaching services to prospective trainers for the design and implementation of a training course based on the Sourcebook.
Please send any comment or request to comdev@fao.org