The workshop marked the start of a new network of journalists, communicators and social media influencers who work to scale climate-smart agriculture.

Would you like to get involved in this network? Get in touch with Rhys Bucknall-Williams, AICCRA Global Communications and Knowledge Manager.

In attendance were senior representatives from leading media organisations from across Africa, as well as colleagues from AICCRA partner organisations that lead on strategic communications within those institutions.

These partners were drawn from regional organisations in West Africa and East and Southern Africa, as well as national institutions in AICCRA's six focus countries - Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia. 

To accelerate climate action, African media leaders and social influencers must understand the impact of climate change on African agriculture, and understand how to amplify key messages that help scale climate-smart agriculture.

This is part of AICCRA's vision for scaling climate-smart agriculture.

So this workshop strengthened the connections between journalists and AICCRA partner organisation, building a network while informing and strengthening narratives on climate change and agriculture in Africa.

“It should be our mission to tell a story of how agriculture can help deliver a more climate smart future in Africa. We know what works – 50 years of research led by CGIAR and others show us that, but we need to do more and we need to do it faster. We need to do it better to help millions of small holder farmers.

We, here in this room, have the power to shape the global conversation on climate change and that is why we organised this workshop. We did it to help our partners make the case for prioritising and investing in transformative innovations in agriculture and the climate services that support them.”

Rhys Bucknall-Williams, AICCRA Global Communications and Knowledge Manager

The media workshop was facilitated by Sabrina Trautman of K and S Collective, while the strategic communications workshop was facilitated by Stella Kihara of the African Center for Development Communications and AICCRA’s Global Communications and Knowledge Manager Rhys Bucknall-Williams.

The two groups were later merged to stimulate dialogue and connections to produce new ideas for stories in the months ahead.

The key outcomes this workshop aims to achieve:

Foster closer bonds between African institutions who deal with agriculture and climate change and African media organisations, journalists and social media influencers.

Reinforce their respective strategic priorities ahead of major international events like COP28.

Strengthen the capacity of participants to understand how to develop communications strategies and messages that support their objectives.

Identify common challenges and devise mutually beneficial solutions.  

Speaking after the workshops, Gifty Enyonam Manya, a Ghanaian journalist, YouTuber and TV personality who goes by the moniker the ‘Ghanaian Farmer’ said:

“The media training was very enlightening. It encouraged networking and was eye opening in the area of climate change. As a woman in the agricultural space, I got a chance to grow, learn and improve. I feel encouraged to continue empowering others – and to even expand by reaching even more people with the messages of climate smart agriculture.”

Kofi Adu Domfeh, News Editor at Joy News added:

“There is power in knowledge sharing. That’s why we are here; to upskill, network and be empowered on how to approach the topic of climate change, policy docs and the not clear actionable issues. We leave here better prepared to tackle climate change issues and this will better our communities.”

In the news

- EnviroNews Nigeria: Why journalists must be concerned about impact of climate change on agriculture

- Ghana News Agency: Climate reporting: What journalists are missing in the agricultural discourse

- Joy Online: Ghanaian Farmer TV host attends Climate Change and Agriculture Conference in South Africa

Author

Phindiwe Nkosi, Communications Lead, AICCRA Zambia