Malawi: Sustainable Agriculture
Project Challenge: In collaboration with
USAID and Development Alternatives Inc, to design a
communications and outreach program to raise awareness and
educate Malawians of the opportunities and responsibilities
that come with community-based natural resource management and
decentralization.
A Malawi producer trained by Spectrum Media films farmers at work in the field
Strategy: We set up a media production center and established a local public awareness team to produce TV and radio programs as part of a multimedia communications program on sustainable agriculture. Our team has already produced multimedia educational packages to teach income generating practices such as Honey Production and Fish Farming, and is developing additional programs on Agroforestry Home Gardens. These educational materials are being disseminated to rural farmers through TV and radio, college-based training programs, extension agents, private sector cooperatives and distribution companies.
Madagascar:
Environmental Conservation
Project
Challenge: Madagascar was making efforts to use
communications to improve conservation of its natural
resources, but the results were disappointing. Spectrum
Media, in collaboration with DAI and USAID, studied the
problems and developed a new strategy.
Rural farmers in Madagascar
Strategy: Based on a series of site visits to Madagascar and interviews with a variety of stakeholders from rural farmers to senior government officials, we designed a three-phase plan to create a national environmental awareness program that was linked to the implementation of the country's conservation programs. Our recommendations focused on the importance of reaching out to and educating rural farmers on how to change their agricultural practices through a combination of mass communications and direct communications.
Tunisia: Water
Conservation
Project
Challenge: We worked with USAID, the Water and
Sanitation for Health Project (WASH), and the Tunisian
Ministry of Agriculture on a plan to deliver potable water
to rural areas.
Tunisian boys pump water
Strategy: To encourage ownership and self-management of pump equipment and water distribution networks, as well as greater awareness of water conservation and hygiene, we designed and developed a campaign that incorporated TV and radio spots, educational programs, outdoor and print advertising, and brochures. Our educational programs were cited in an article in Jeune Afrique as playing an integral role in extending the life of Tunisia's water reserves.
Senegal: Agricultural
Reform
Project Challenge: In
a project for the Institût Sénégalais de Recherches
Agricoles, we worked with USAID to design a communications
program that used a wide variety of media to encourage
Senegal's rural farmers to adopt new agricultural
techniques.
A Senegalese woman builds a compost heap
Strategy: Faced with an audience that was 80% illiterate, we used radio extensively and developed "talking books" to teach useful practices such as composting, growing "living" cacti fences and planting hardier seed stock.