Implementation

MESSAGES AND THEIR FORMULATION

In any given period, FAO presents a variety of messages to a variety of audiences. Some central messages can be regarded as "perennials". They relate directly to the Organization's basic mandate and form part of almost every information campaign that it conducts. They include, for example, reminders of FAO's advocacy for:

• food as a basic human right and the goal of global food security or "food for all";
• the central role of agriculture and the rural sector in developing countries in achieving food security and sustainable development.

Other key messages reflect Organization-wide priorities at a particular time, such as a major programme initiative, an important international conference or the results of a seminal study. These messages apply to the entire Organization but, to be delivered effectively, they may need to be tailored and packaged to reflect specific local conditions and concerns.

Finally, there are messages that relate primarily to the policies and activities of a particular department. Since the information and communication needs of FAO's technical departments and decentralized structures differ widely, each must be responsible for developing its own plan within the framework of the overall Corporate Communication Plan, drawing as required on the communication expertise and resources of GI.

Responsibility for the formulation of key messages, which are central to any corporate communication plan, lies primarily with the units responsible for delivering them. Technical departments and decentralized structures should formulate messages directed at issues or audiences of specific concern to them, whereas corporate messages, based on priorities established by senior management, should be formulated through the corporate planning process.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Strategies for achieving FAO's objectives change according to shifts in priorities, resources and technologies as well as in the objectives themselves. The communication strategies and activities cited in the following paragraphs are indicative of the approaches that could be employed within the framework of the Corporate Communication Policy and Strategy. They can be divided into three general groups:

• internally focused activities, involving FAO staff;
• externally directed activities, usually carried out by FAO staff in concert with or assisted by third parties;
• activities depending primarily on third parties.

Internally focused activities

i) Strengthening internal communication and dialogue

The Corporate Communication Policy and Strategy relies on a decentralized, participatory process to generate a programme that initiates actions and anticipates (or even creates) events, rather than merely reacting to them. These communication initiatives focus on priority issues and audiences at the organizational, departmental or regional level. Keeping staff informed and encouraging dialogue within the Organization enhances the effectiveness of staff as partners in the corporate communication effort. Tools for achieving this "culture of communication" include internal newsletters, the FAO computer network and Office Information Service, open discussions and round tables on matters of interest and concern, and a participatory approach to management.

ii) Promoting the partnership between technical and communication professionals

All units of FAO, both at headquarters and in the decentralized structures, play an important role in communication and should consider themselves part of a collective effort to promote understanding of, and support for, the work of the Organization. Within this partnership, the communication specialists have the skills, technical resources and experience to provide essential advice and support to other units.

In addition to the annual planning exercise, the information opportunities and needs of the technical departments are assessed on a regular basis, mainly through a "beat officer" system, which assigns individual media officers to cover a particular department. The system has a priority in the Information Division and is reinforced by the designation of "focal points" in technical divisions and departments who serve as the beat officers' first point of reference.

iii) Enhancing the capacity of technical departments and units to deliver information

To enable technical departments to deploy the most effective communication tools, ranging from a photocopied newsletter to a World Wide Web server, advice and support are given for the full spectrum of technical options involved in information delivery. Working in multidisciplinary teams, the units responsible for communication planning, editing, design and technology analyse the needs of technical departments and assist in developing and implementing plans to address them.

In addition, technical departments and programmes are encouraged to consult the Information Division in order to evaluate the potential for producing information materials aimed at influential non-specialists, such as NGOs. Consideration is also given to developing "user-friendly" newsletters and other publications, with particular attention paid to possibilities for electronic distribution.

With adequate advance notice and planning, duty travel by the Director-General and other senior staff members provides an important opportunity to meet face to face with key audiences. Senior officers are urged to inform both FAO staff in countries they intend to visit and the Information Division about their travel plans and to allow time for meetings and speaking engagements as well as media briefings and interviews.

Externally directed activities

i) Targeting strategic audiences

FAO's communication plans focus on selected target groups: decision- and policy-makers in government; technical peers in fields related to the work of the Organization; NGOs and the private sector with interests in FAO's fields of concern; and media representatives. Even within these sectors, efforts are concentrated selectively on the most influential groups and individuals. Defining the target audience for each communication campaign and identifying the best ways to reach it are an important part of the planning process. In this context it is important to build up and maintain FAO's mailing lists. These include special lists maintained by technical divisions as well as public information and media lists.

ii) Concentrating on priority issues, using a campaign approach whenever feasible

FAO cannot hope to communicate extensively and effectively about all its activities and concerns simultaneously. Technical communication is maintained at all times, but corporate communication activities centre on a limited number of defined priorities as identified through the participatory planning process.

The campaign approach multiplies the impact of messages by delivering them through different media to selected audiences that influence each other. It also reduces the time and cost of supporting materials, since language and images can often be re-used in several different products. Lobbying or advocacy, whether by FAO staff or contracted specialists, may be required to help achieve campaign objectives.

The media component of campaigns involves identifying and concentrating on the media representatives and outlets that reach key people in the target audiences while also setting the agenda for other media outlets. Where feasible, media officers work directly with these influential members of the media, providing information that meets their needs and reinforces FAO's value as an information provider.

iii) Concentrating activities in strategically important countries

FAO's responsibilities to its member countries require a global communication programme that responds to differing needs and interests, particularly in the areas of institutional and technical communication. Advocacy communication, however, may require information efforts to be concentrated in countries where support is strategically important.

In many industrialized countries, both political and financial support for intergovernmental organizations appear to be at risk: a sustained campaign is required to mobilize understanding and support for FAO policies and programmes among decision-makers and influential NGOs and media in these countries.

iv) Enhancing the credibility of FAO

While information campaigns highlight successful approaches and projects, they also acknowledge any difficulties or criticisms. Being open to criticism and willing to admit mistakes helps to build up and maintain credibility and confidence among partners and communication target groups. Communication activities that allow an exchange of criticism and response, such as round-table meetings and workshops, enhance the credibility of the Organization.

v) Highlighting the human dimension of FAO's activities

To gain public support, it is important to present an image of FAO and its partners as teams of people dedicated to combating hunger and rural poverty, and not as impersonal institutions. Communication products highlighting the contributions of individuals, both FAO staff and partners, to Organizational accomplishments will help present the "human face" of technical and emergency assistance.

vi) Increasing awareness of field activities

The best way to present FAO as an effective, action-oriented organization is to increase awareness of successful field programmes and projects. Coverage of field activities gives the Organization and its priorities a human face, translating aggregate statistics about food security or people's participation back into their component parts - human beings struggling to feed their families and fulfil their hopes.

Field activities can underscore the ties between information, ideas and tangible steps to combat poverty and hunger, between the Organization's normative and operational activities, and between FAO as a centre of excellence and as a development agency.

vii) Providing background materials for the media

Most media outlets prefer to develop their own "stories" and are reluctant to make direct use of news releases or features, although these may well trigger their interest in a particular story. As a result, considerable emphasis is given to distributing background material (such as booklets or fact sheets) and "raw material" (such as interesting data or video footage) as well as the finished news product.

viii) Informing Permanent Representations on key programmes

In addition to the regular meetings of the Organization, special briefings are organized from time to time to keep Permanent Representations informed of key programmes and achievements.

ix) Retaining the flexibility to "ride events" and respond to crisis situations

The Organization cannot unilaterally determine the agenda of its key audiences. The media, in particular, tend to be drawn to dramatic events and to focus on specific issues for only short periods. While adhering to its planned communication programme, FAO must have the flexibility to "ride events", highlighting the relevance of FAO's constituency and programmes to headline events or issues of the moment. The media specialists hold primary responsibility for recognizing and evaluating such opportunities and then coordinating the corporate response in close collaboration with technical staff.

In addition to capitalizing on opportunities, FAO must also be able to respond quickly and decisively to potentially damaging media attention. This requires key staff, primarily the communication specialists, to be trained in identifying and handling negative media inquiries, limiting damage and, whenever possible, turning such situations to the advantage of the Organization.

Activities depending primarily on third-party support

i) Packaging information for particular audiences and regions

A "one size fits all" approach to communication usually fails to fit everyone's specific needs. Information materials need to be adapted to improve the relevance of FAO's messages to different target audiences, drawing on the experience of those individual staff members or units who communicate regularly with them.

ii) Consolidating and enhancing communication with NGOs

To extend its communication outreach, FAO is strengthening partnerships with NGOs that have an important role in distributing information and lobbying both governments and media. A framework for close collaboration in communication with NGOs is being developed, focusing on a wide range of activities designed to mobilize public support for the activities of FAO, particularly in the area of food security.

iii) Supporting World Food Day and Food for All initiatives in member countries

The annual observance of World Food Day provides an important focus for relaunching the "Food for All" campaign each year, at the same time underscoring FAO's role as leader of the campaign, both by supporting celebratory events and initiatives in member countries and by coordinating and supporting related transboundary initiatives such as TeleFood, Word Food Day concerts and the Appeal against World Hunger. In due course, October should become universally recognized as the annual "Food for All" month.

IMPLEMENTATION AND COORDINATION PARTNERS

i) Internal partners

Essential partners in implementing FAO's communication policies and strategies are its staff. The Corporate Communication Policy and Strategy provides the foundation for a strong working partnership, uniting senior management, technical departments, decentralized structures and communication specialists.

ii) Intergovernmental organizations

In certain areas, such as preparations for major conferences and international expositions, FAO works closely with other agencies in the UN system through the Joint United Nations Information Committee (JUNIC). Presenting the UN system as a cooperative partnership among agencies with specialized skills and resources increases support both for the individual agencies and for the system as a whole. Where programmes and priorities coincide, joint campaigns multiply the impact of communication efforts. Increased cooperation with other Rome-based UN agencies through the sharing of information resources and expertise reduces costs and increases the impact of activities.

iii) Bilateral development agencies

FAO's communication objectives frequently overlap with those of bilateral development agencies, particularly those of countries that finance projects through FAO Trust Funds. Cooperation in the production of information materials and campaigns helps build up donors' support to trust fund projects.

iv) NGOs, particularly advocacy NGOs

NGOs perform certain information activities that FAO rarely undertakes, such as lobbying legislators, government officers and the media. As a result, they help set the agenda of the debate on major issues and communicate directly with many of FAO's key target audiences. These activities enhance their value as potential partners in communication activities. FAO is tapping this potential through its cooperation with NGOs, including the preparation of information materials designed for an NGO audience, contributions to NGO media and collaboration in the production of information materials.

v) International networks

FAO coordinates two international agricultural information networks, AGRIS and CARIS, which are the result of a voluntary, cooperative partnership of national, regional and international centres. All partners share the responsibility of collecting and entering the information produced in their country or organization and of disseminating and promoting the common outputs. These and other international networks increase the flow of information both to and from FAO, and enhance the Organization's capacity as a central source of information in its fields of competence.

vi) National and regional networks

In recent years, numerous national and regional networks dealing with specific issues such as agriculture, rural development and the environment have emerged as important channels for communication. FAO is developing links with these networks, which are potentially valuable partners for communicating with key target audiences such as technical peers and NGOs.

vii) Educators

In the past, the prohibitive cost of producing large quantities of information material has limited FAO's access both to teachers and to the classroom. However, the situation is changing with the advent of the Internet and electronic publishing, which provide wide access to information material and, in large part, switch the cost of reproduction from the originator to the user. In the context of corporate campaigns concentrated on particular issues and countries, educators and students can now be targeted more effectively.

viii) Media and commercial publishers

FAO's storehouse of knowledge and information includes a substantial amount of material of interest to the media, particularly the electronic media, and commercial publishers. Copublication and coproduction (of videos, for example) are used by FAO to retain significant control over the information content of the products, while benefiting from the financial resources and the production and distribution capacities of commercial media and publishing enterprises.

ix) Private sector

Collaboration with the private sector, including agricultural firms and food companies, is increasing as FAO seeks new partnerships to implement its programmes. In many areas, the Organization works closely with the private sector, and mutually beneficial communication activities are being undertaken with due attention to the sensitivities of key target audiences.