Journalists trained on communication for development

As part of its capacity building programme for partners, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations , FAO, through the Food Security through Commercialization of Agriculture (FSCA)  is hosting in Banjul a four-day high-level training session for media practitioners  and communication experts on ‘Communication for Development Training’ at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Cape Point, Bakau.

The training course brought together senior journalists, communication experts and key partners dealing in development communication, and was  designed, prepared and coordinated by the office of Exchange, Knowledge and Research (OEKR) of the FAO’s Rome office in Italy.

The four days of intensive training aims at enhancing the communication abilities and skills of media practitioners, and other communication experts. It is also aimed at creating an interactive forum in which practical lessons learned and communication issues emerging within the FSCA project can be shared.

Its expected outcome is to see journalists and communication experts gain the ability to recognize the potential of communication for development approaches, and apply them in their own area of expertise.

Addressing media practitioners and communication experts at the opening ceremony, the country representative of FAO in Banjul, Dr Babagana Ahmadu, said capacity building is at the heart of FAO’s mandate.

“Through its learning resources and learning services, the FAO addresses the needs of individuals in rural communities, in organizations and institutions, and at policy level,” he stated.

According to him, “the FAO is this time targeting to build the capacities of the very important cohort in our development process”, noting that media practitioners work in one of the most powerful tools and help in promoting the right things at the right time.

“It gives a real exposure to the mass audience about what is right or wrong. It helps a lot to inform us about the realities as well,”the FAO representative in Banjul added.