Riccardo del Castello of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) presents Waves of Change: Supporting Family Farmers Through Rural Radio, during the Forum on Communication for Development and Community Media for Family Farming (FCCM) held at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy.

1. Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development
“WAVES OF CHANGE”
SUPPORTING FAMILY FARMERS
THROUGH RURAL RADIO
Riccardo del Castello
Communication for Development Officer
Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development
FAO

2. Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development
Communication for Development in FAO
Priority areas:
• Support the FAO Strategic objectives, regional initiatives and country programmes
in the design and implementation of ComDev policies and strategies
• Strengthen ComDev capacities of FAO programmes, decentralized offices, rural
institutions
• Apply ComDev approaches to promote partnerships and multi-stakeholder
dialogue on key issues related to FAO’s mandate

3. Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development
Communication for Development in FAO
Principles
• INFORM populations on new ideas and new techniques
• ASSESS the needs of the beneficiaries taking into account their perceptions,
knowledge, experience, culture and traditions
• ADAPT the message to the beneficiaries and their needs
• PARTNERSHIPS to support holistic approaches to rural development and
innovation
• MULTIMEDIA APPROACH using different types of media to increase the impact
of the communication effort
Community Rural Radio, Participatory Video, Printed materials (poster, leaflet, comics)
ICTs (internet, mobile phones, SMS) Traditional media (theatre, folk songs) Face to face
meetings and field visits

4. Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development
Food Security through Commercialization of
Agriculture in West Africa
Rural Radio in Kindia, Guinea
Characteristics:
• Local language broadcasts
• Educational programmes, debates, phone-ins (interactivity)
• Agricultural news and information (market prices, technologies)
Tools:
• Radio (digital equipment)
• Mobile phones – (audience feedback)
• Participatory video
Constraints
• Irregular commitment
• Radio skills
ComDev Experience
Main outcome
• Partnership – radio, farmers, agricultural
research and extension
• Multimedia approach

5. Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development
Thank You