Science and Technology Mailing List Archive

[David Campbell <<address removed>>]

I have enjoyed the wide and interesting discussion on this and other
issues and at this late date would like add a few simple comments
about communications and especially media.

Having worked for DFID in this area in East Africa for number of
years and run an NGO and company (MEDIAE)  encouraging, supporting
and developing the use of media for development and education I
believe there are  a number of steps that DFID might consider to
provide better development opportunities.

1) Develop a communications strategy for DFID and more details for
all its development and research activities.

1.1 Who do we need to communicate with:.
Try not starting with " DFID Teams " or "UK Based Research
Scientists" or members of CGIARs but start with those that seem to
have been removed from DFID's development speak like "farmers" and
put them first on the list, then define more clearly - involved in
smallholder agriculture or  subsistence agriculture.
This list will include extension workers, commercial companies
providing inputs, NGO's, local finance organisations etc working
through until every stakeholder is listed. So school children in
Britain may well become a defined stakeholder

1.2 Why do we want to communicate with these stakeholders?
The objectives of our communication for each stakeholder can and
should  be defined. Are we seeking to change knowledge, attitude and
practices?
My target audience or stakeholder may be farmers in Tanzania and
their husbands!  My communication objectives maybe to understand with
them the key market information needed by them and how best to
deliver this to them so that they will be less powerless over market
prices.

1.3 What is it they want to know.  What information can we provide to
meet the stakeholders needs? This is about the content, the messages
and approach to designing and editing and agreeing information

1.4 What methods can we use to provide the information and support
needed. Here we are looking at channels which have been well
discussed including CDs for sharing of information with researchers
and others, leaflets that never leave the researchers office, radio
and TV and the new ICTs, meetings, workshops, print and extension
workers etc.

A clearly defined overall communication strategy is needed by DFID
Then we need to see this reflected in all proposals for research and
development funding. Just as we need to provide in proposals for
funding a social impact assessment or a gender considerations  so we
should develop for each activity a communication strategy from the
beginning.
Finally where necessary especially with our partners in developing
countries we should provide some guidance in how this can be done and
build capacity locally to consider this approach.


2) DFID should no longer try and make research scientists and
technical experts media producers - it just does not work.
There is an enormous industry out there that drives our world in so
many ways - the media and advertising and marketing world. There are
many opportunities to work with this world and its expertise in
changing knowledge attitudes and practices, its research data on
information sources and access to existing communication channels -
these should be the partners in ensuring effective communications
rather than the poor research scientist who will not get a grant to
do his reserach unless he writes in his proposal that he will
disseminate information to farmers through leaflets.
Information delivery is highly competitive - 100 FM radio stations in
Uganda - Entertainment is what people want to listen to not the Head
of the cotton research station speaking for half an hour on
harvesting techniques when only 5% of the population grows cotton -
its  a switching world if its not grabbing us then lets watch
something else. To meet audiences needs in terms of content is one
thing - we need help to make it desirable and competitive in the
entertainment world as well.

3) DFID should look closely at its existing success stories and its
experience and develop a base strategy that builds on these and not
be driven by changing fads and short term expensive investments that
do not meet stakeholders information needs. Invest in building
effective communication and media by establishing "pipelines" into
specific target audience areas in order to build numbers and
dedicated audiences and especially to provide for rural hard to reach
audiences.

Mediae manages a radio soap programme in Kenya called "Tembea na
Majira". It works on the good communication and media use principle
that if we can find out what the audience wants to know about and
then provide that information in an entertaining and educational way
consistently over a long period then we will build a big audience. If
we have a big audience then we will have many partners wishing to
reach our big audience.
This is exactly what has happened. We have a radio drama/soap with
educational/development  information and funky magazine programme
presenting technical information  that goes out 2 x a week and now
reaches an estimated audience of 8 million people in Kenya, We have
been on the air for 9 years, we have grown from 2.5  million year 2
to 3.5 million year 4 to 5 million year 6. The audience is almost
entirely rural, more women than men and its said in some parts if
rural Kenya if you want to steal a goat do it when the programme is
on as there is noone out and about at 8 pm on a Thursday evening!

DFID needs to consider investing in developing these massive
information pipelines into the rural areas through radio, TV and
press so as to reach other important stakeholders.

Financially the Radio soap works well. The advertisers wish to pay
for advertising and placement - Safaricom Mobile phones currently is
our commercial partner getting to rural audiences with market prices
so they contribute the principle finance to keep the ball rolling
(£60,000 a year to be either side of TNM) and then as development
organisations - with air time paid and costs shared three ways with
other information providers its possible to reach 8 million people 2
x week in their homes with information for the cost of £24,000 this
equals about 3 pence per head reached throughout the year!
The audience is there waiting to hear the next instalment and learn
about biological control methods, malaria and how to set up
committees to manage their schools better as well as the loves and
lives of the characters.

Huge funds are available for Internet and e mail connections into
rural areas where there are no computers, phone lines or electricity
but 80% of most African countries' populations can now access a radio
nightly. Try and get funding to develop a long term sustainable radio
programme - its become virtually impossible.

These are some thoughts I hope can help towards addressing issues for
DFID to consider.

I fear I am beginning to rant so I had better wind up

Please contact me if any one is interested to discuss any of these
issues further

Best regards