FAO launches e-learning course on participatory video

FAO is pleased to announce the launch of its latest certified e-learning course, “Participatory Video in Agrifood Systems and Digital Environments”. Developed by the FAO Communication for Development (ComDev) team at PSUF and the FAO E-learning team at PSUR, in collaboration with the International Training Center of the International Labor Organization (ITC-ILO), Digital Green (DG), and the College of Development Communication at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (CDC-UPLB), this course is now available for free as a global public good through the FAO E-learning Academy: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=1185.

The course offers a comprehensive guide on the use of participatory video (PV) within the ComDev approach, a method that enhances community engagement and sustainable development by enabling local stakeholders to share their values, cultures, and perspectives. PV serves as a dynamic tool for inclusive development, fostering dialogue, engagement, and knowledge exchange. 

What you will learn

Participatory video (PV) is a communication approach to video production and sharing in which community members and stakeholders actively participate in the planning, creation and dissemination of video content. This process empowers individuals and groups to share their knowledge, perspectives, experiences and concerns using video to raise awareness, advocate for change or document their own stories and realities. 

Participants in this course will gain insights into: 

• The purpose and benefits of using participatory video for development; 
• Strategies to use video for dialogue, engagement, and knowledge-sharing across various platforms; 
• The process of producing and integrating participatory video into development initiatives for rural communities; and 
• Technical aspects of video production, including framing, sequencing, and shooting protocols. 

The course consists of six structured units, each comprising multiple lessons: 

1. Using participatory video for development – Understanding the fundamentals and advantages of PV within the ComDev approach. 
2. Audiovisual production elements – Exploring the key components of audiovisual communication. 
3. Preproduction – Planning and preparing for PV production. 
4. Production – Capturing video content effectively and in a participatory manner. 
5. Post-production – Editing and refining video materials. 
6. Participatory video sharing – Disseminating content to amplify community voices.

FAO's commitment to capacity development in participatory video

FAO is actively promoting PV as a tool for extension services, farmer field schools, innovation systems, and digital agriculture, enabling communities, farmer organizations, and rural institutions to use PV for documentation, advocacy, and knowledge exchange. 

To further strengthen this initiative, FAO has been organizing the PV capacity development initiative in collaboration with DG and CDC-UPLB. These training programmes are attended by participants from institutions, farmer organizations, academia, FAO programmes, and partner organizations from over 30 countries. Additionally, FAO and its partners provide ongoing technical assistance and maintain online PV communities of practice (CoPs) within the framework of three regional ComDev initiatives—ComDev Asia, YenKasa Africa and Onda Rural. 

A wealth of PV-related resources is also available, including the Participatory Video Practitioner’s Guide, which is accessible in five languages. For more information, please contact [email protected].