During the recent Forum on Communication for Development and Community Media for Family Farming (FCCM) Cleofe Torres of the College of Development Communication of the University of the Philippines Los Banos, discussed Learning and Sharing in Communication for Rural Development.

1. LEARNING & SHARING IN COMMUNICATION FOR RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
“Collaborative Change
Communication”
Exchange of contents, methodologies,
learning resources
Strengthened capacities & collaboration

2. STEPS UNDERTAKEN
Mapping of
ComDev
users/providers
Training needs
assessment
Creation of web portal
Preparation of
sourcebook
(peer reviewed )

3. www.cccomdev.org: contents

4. COMMUNICATION FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SOURCEBOOK
 A comprehensive set of guidelines, illustrative examples, tips and learning tools
to apply ComDev methods in agriculture and rural development work
WHO’S FOR
 COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONERS AND TRAINERS
 DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS
 FIELD FACILITATORS
Content can be adapted/repackaged for
 PROJECT STAFF
 COMMUNITY MEDIA
 EXTENSION WORKERS
 AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIANS
 FIELD AGENTS
OBJECTIVE
 ENABLE LEARNERS TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT LOCALLY
RELEVANT AND SUSTAINABLE COMDEV STRATEGIES

5. COMMUNICATION FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SOURCEBOOK
CONTENT
7 MODULES covering all phases of the ComDev process
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
+ GUIDE TO COMDEV TRAINING
Practical tips and tools to use the Sourcebook for training purposes

6. RECENT INITIATIVE
Virtual Consultations on Communication for
Development, Community Media and ICTs
for Family Farming
Compendium on regional and
global perspectives
(provide policy & program direction)

7. CHALLENGES
• Inviting /motivating users
• Data mining (to search, review, summarize, synthesize
materials take time)
• Providing “new” content
• Managing abundance of information
• Overcoming information overload and fatigue
• Sustaining the initiative

8. WHAT NEXT?
• As part of the planning cycle, monitoring and
evaluation of the CCComdev will be planned.