Posted December 1998
Formats: PAL, NTSC
Duration: 12 minutes
The video is also available in French and Spanish
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WE LIVE in an era of rapid change. Societies are moving towards greater democracy, decentralization and market economies. Farming and agriculture are changing rapidly as new technologies become widely available. An information revolution is underway as electronic information "super-highways" span the globe.
At the same time, poverty is pervasive, especially in rural areas. The gap between the information rich and the information poor is getting wider. And farmers face the difficult challenge of making agriculture more productive, more profitable and more sustainable, all at the same time.
Knowledge and information are essential for people to successfully respond to the opportunities and challenges of social, economic and technological changes. But to be useful, knowledge and information must be communicated to people in ways that can help them participate in and direct their own courses of change.
Communication is about the human factor in development -- it gives people a voice, makes them "visible" and helps them to learn and take action. Communication is most useful when it starts by listening to what people already know, what they aspire to become, what they perceive is possible and what they can productively sustain.
There are many "paths of communication" ranging from folk media and traditional social groupings to radio and video to the Internet. Communication media can help overcome barriers of literacy and language, cultural differences and physical isolation. They are powerful tools to inform and educate people about new ideas and technical innovations for agricultural and rural development.
But effectively using communication media first requires an understanding of the knowledge and information needs of a particular audience, whether farmers and rural people or agricultural researchers and extension agents. This means beginning with an understanding of the audience, listening and observing, before selecting media or designing messages.
This video is about listening. About understanding and sharing. About participation and involvement. About communication to bring about development change. The video shows cases in Senegal, Honduras, Bangladesh and other places where communication, whether through groups, radio, video or other media, helped development workers listen to villagers, build trust, share knowledge and stimulate people to find their own solutions to problems.
Listening to Change: Paths of Communication was prepared by the Communication for Development Group, Extension, Education and Communication Service (SDRE), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Copies can be obtained for $20.00 by dispatching the attached order form to the address indicated.
To: Sales and Marketing Group Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Facsimile: +39 06 5705 3360 E-mail: publications-sales@fao.org _____________________________________________________________ From: Name: ........................................... Title: ........................................... Address: ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... _____________________________________________________________ Please supply ..... copies of "Listening to change" in the following language and standard at $20.00 per copy: [ ] English [ ] PAL or [ ] NTSC [ ] French [ ] PAL or [ ] Secam [ ] Spanish [ ] PAL or [ ] NTSC _____________________________________________________________ Payment to be made as follows: [ ] Cheque in US dollars made out to FAO [ ] In local currency at the office of the FAO representative [ ] Bank transfer in US dollars: Banca Commerciale Italiana, FAO/UN General Dollar Account no. 490650/39/44 [ ] By credit card (American Express, Eurocard, MasterCard, Visa) indicating name and address of cardholder, number and expiry date [ ] Charge to project no. .......................... Code no. ....................................... |
Senior Officer
Communication for Development Group
Extension, Education and Communication Service
Research, Extension and Training Division
Sustainable Development Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
e-mail: loyvan.crowder@fao.org
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