A mission to communicate

FAO'S MANDATE

Communication lies at the core of FAO's mandate. In the words of its Constitution:
"1. The Organization shall collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information relating to nutrition, food and agriculture...."
"2. The Organization shall promote and, where appropriate, shall recommend national and international action with respect to:

• scientific, technological, social and economic research relating to nutrition, food and agriculture;
• the improvement of education and administration relating to nutrition, food and agriculture, and the spread of public knowledge of nutritional and agricultural science and practice ...".

(FAO Constitution Article I, paras 1-2)

FAO's ability to fulfil this mandate depends on the effectiveness and quality of:

• internal communication among FAO staff that enhances the quality of their work and enables them to interact effectively with people outside the Organization on the basis of a shared foundation of knowledge and commitment;
• technical communication between FAO experts and their counterparts in government, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and research and academic institutions;
• advocacy and public communication, aimed at creating a greater understanding of, and building up support for, FAO, especially among decision-makers and potential partners; and
• development support communication, aimed at delivering to rural populations the information they need to participate fully in development.

FAO has a need to communicate general messages related to its overall mandate as well as specific messages directed towards particular audiences or related to the priorities of the Organization. Delivering these messages effectively involves dialogue and a genuine exchange of information and views with FAO's constituency and key interlocutors such as the media, NGOs and national and community leaders. Taking all these dimensions into account, communication should involve everyone at FAO, although roles and responsibilities may differ. An effective communication policy and strategy depends on a clear understanding of these various responsibilities and a coordinated approach to meeting them.

FAILURE OF THE AD HOC APPROACH TO COMMUNICATION

In the past, FAO operated without a corporate communication policy, relying instead on what seemed to be a pragmatic division of labour and responsibilities. As a result, responsibility for information and communication became fragmented and some key audiences were seriously neglected. In other instances, channels for effective communication were never established or were allowed to atrophy. Most serious of all, the Organization failed to enlist its own staff as informed and convinced partners in its communication efforts.

Communication and information activities frequently lacked focus and coordination. No mechanism existed for defining key corporate messages or for informing and educating staff about them. Technical departments planned and budgeted for technical and related publications but not for other information needs. At the same time, the Information Division, the focal point for professional expertise in information and communication, prepared its programme without reference to the technical departments' priorities other than those set out in the Programme of Work and Budget and its own perception of information requirements.

Recognizing and responding to the need to improve the focus and effectiveness of communication activities, the Director-General requested the Department of General Affairs and Information (GI) to prepare a corporate communication policy and strategy in consultation with all FAO departments and decentralized structures.

IMAGE AND TARGET AUDIENCES

The Organization faces image problems that can only be addressed effectively in the context of a corporate policy. Commonly cited problems include perceptions that:

• FAO is better known and more appreciated in developing countries than in industrialized countries;
• the Organization's structure and management are criticized more often than its technical work;
• some specific departments and programmes are viewed with scepticism or hostility by NGOs or other key sectors.

For the most part, it is impossible for FAO, with its limited resources and essentially technical mandate, to reach the broad general public directly. The Organization must therefore take advantage of the multiplier effect and focus its communication efforts on potential partners and strategic target groups. These target audiences include:

• Government policy- and decision-makers: senior officials who determine policy and levels of funding in the areas of food, agriculture and rural development.
• Government counterparts: professionals in government ministries whose briefs overlap with FAO's mandate in areas such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, rural development and the environment.
• Technical counterparts: scientists, researchers, economists, policy analysts and other technical experts working in fields related to FAO's mandate.
• Non-governmental organizations: both an influential audience and potential partners in communication activities relating to FAO's mandate.
• Specialist media: technical journals and other specialized information outlets essential for communication with technical counterparts as well as with journalists and educators whose interests touch on areas of concern to FAO.
• Mass media: both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media (television, radio and the Internet), which provide access to priority audiences as well as to the general public.

How these audiences are approached will differ according to their location (e.g. developed or developing countries), communication needs and available capacities. The overall success of the Corporate Communication Policy and Strategy will depend entirely on the ability of the Organization to reach key audiences in all member countries, using the most appropriate and effective tools for each audience.

FAO is committed to the multilingual presentation of information. In fact, this approach represents one of the most important communication advantages of the Organization and is intrinsic to its communication objectives. The Corporate Communication Plan will allow FAO to build on its expertise in the preparation of multilingual materials, including information disseminated via computer networks and other electronic media.

FAO's Corporate Communication Policy and Strategy is aimed at identifying priorities and opportunities as well as ways to reach and interact with defined target groups in a planned, coordinated fashion. The Policy rests on the conviction that success depends on more communication, not less, and that the Organization is best served by opening more and better channels for the exchange of information and ideas with its key partners and audiences.