WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE WINDWARD ISLANDS. Andrew Bartlett. Keynote Presentation. 1st National Workshop on Development Communications.

Transcription

1 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION: WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE WINDWARD ISLANDS Andrew Bartlett Keynte Presentatin 1st Natinal Wrkshp n Develpment Cmmunicatins March 1986 Federal Agricultural Crdinating Unit Ibadan, Nigeria Andrew Bartlett is Cmmunicatins and Extensin Cnsultant t the British Cuncil, thrugh the technical assistance f Ian MacDnald and Assciates Ltd. 1

2 SUMMARY Cmmunicatin, in the cntext f Agricultural Develpment, takes place thrugh a system made up f varius stages and varius channels. Based n this cncept the paper describes three issues that are crucial t the planning and implementatin f develpment cmmunicatin. Examples f hw these principles have been put int practice are taken frm a prject in the Windward Islands. The cnclusin is that effective Develpment Cmmunicatin demands that cnsiderable attentin be given t analysis, planning and crdinatin, and that this depends as much n the skills f managerial staff as it des n the abilities f media prducers and technicians. 2

3 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION: WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE WINDWARD ISLANDS. I want t talk tday abut sme f the principles f effective Develpment Cmmunicatin. My bjective is t create an awareness and understanding f certain key factrs that affect the ability f agricultural develpment prjects t infrm, educate and mtivate the rural cmmunity. I plan t describe three principles and illustrate these with examples frm a prject in the Caribbean. In the prcess we will take a lk at sme f the cmmunicatin materials prduced by this prject. Let me start by stating these three principles: 1. Develpment Cmmunicatin is mst effective when activities are planned t take place at all stages f the cmmunicatin system in a crdinated manner. 2. Develpment Cmmunicatin is mst effective when, at each stage f the cmmunicatin system, it invlves the crdinated use f mre than ne media. 3. Develpment Cmmunicatin is mst effective when the media in use is designed fr the benefit f precisely identified audience grups. In rder t explain the reasning behind these principles it is necessary t intrduce the idea f a 'cmmunicatin system'. A number f authrs have described extensin as the link between researchers and farmers. This is a true but highly simplified definitin. In reality there are a large number f links, these links frm varius chains frm researchers t farmers, and the chains are inter-cnnected t frm a system. Sme f the basic cmpnents f this system are illustrated in the attached diagram. This diagram is still a highly simplified versin f what happens a practice, but it des allw us t develp a number f arguments. Firstly, the system shws us that ur cmmunicatin with farmers has a number f levels r stages. Between researcher and farmer at least fur categries f peple are invlved. If the link between any tw f these grups is weak, the entire system culd fail. Respnsibility fr Develpment Cmmunicatin is therefre nt limited t the media specialist, thugh they may play a key rle; it is the respnsibility f the entire rganisatin. T illustrate this pint I wuld like t shw yu sme print materials frm the Caribbean. These materials cme frm the Windward Islands, a small grup f islands which get mst f their incme frm banana prductin. They have bth research and extensin rganisatins which specialise in bananas. The researchers have identified a set f pririty recmmendatins and these include advice n hw t prevent latex frm staining the bananas. Let us see what happens t this research recmmendatin: 3

4 Firstly a research bulletin is prduced. This caries detailed technical infrmatin t senir fficers f the extensin prject. This is fllwed by a training manual, which carries precise guidelines frm the technical and training specialists t supervisry staff and trainers. Thirdly, an advisry leaflet carries a summary f these guidelines nt the next stage f the cmmunicatin system which are the extensin agents. The extensin agent then passes this infrmatin nt the farmers. At the same time a newspaper article is prduced by the media specialists, which carries the guidelines and sme backgrund infrmatin t prgressive farmers, and a series f psters carry key messages t the whle farming cmmunity. It is wrth repeating that all f these materials are based n the same recmmendatins regarding hw t prevent latex stains. All f the cmmunicatin activities take place in a crdinated manner, with a predetermined schedule. This prcess is apparently very simple. Hwever, in many parts f the wrld it fails t take place, and ne f the main reasns fr this failure is that a large number f the participants f the system are inclined t leave the jb f cmmunicatins t media specialists. This leads me t re-state my first principle: Develpment Cmmunicatin is mst effective when activities are planned t take place at all stages f the cmmunicatins system in a crdinated manner. Media specialists may play a key rle in Develpment Cmmunicatin, but it is the respnsibility f all parties t ensure that these specialists prduce materials which are relevant, effective and prperly utilized. We can cmpare ur cmmunicatin system t building a huse. Our media specialist is like the bricklayer wh puts in place many f the basic building blcks. Hwever, we d nt let him wrk n his wn, he is a member f a team which includes the plumber, the carpenter and the electrician, as well as the surveyr, the architect and the landlrd. I leave it t yu t decide which f these yu represent. Let me just say that we all have a rle t play. Returning t ur diagram f the cmmunicatin system, I wuld like t bring ut a secnd line f argument. We have already said that the system has a number f levels and that a weak link, between any tw f these levels can make the entire system fail. One imprtant way f aviding this prblem is t make use f nt just ne link between levels, but tw, three r mre links. Nne f these grups f peple shuld depend n ne channel fr their cmmunicatin. Of curse each f the different channels they use will play a slightly different rle; they may be used at different times, in different lcatins, and t carry different parts f the verall message. But by using mre than ne channel we imprve the cmmunicatin ptential f the system. Let us briefly cnsider hw this has been put int practice in the Winward Islands. This time we will cnsider anther recmmendatin: the preventin f 'Mk' disease. Between the training specialist and the extensin wrker at least 3 different channels are being used: a slide set which is used in the classrm t prvide the fundatin fr lectures and discussin. 4

5 an advisry bulletin which the extensin wrker can take away frm the classrm and keep in his ffice as a reference dcument. a leaflet which the extensin wrker can take t the field and use as a guide fr the recgnitin f the disease. Between the media specialists and the farmers there are again at least 3 different channels being used: a series f radi spt annuncements which create a general awareness f the disease a series f psters which summaries the steps t be taken in rder t prevent the disease. a vide film, fr use with grups f farmers t explain discase preventin in mre detail. Again, all f these cmmunicatin activities take place in a crdinated manner with a cmmn aim and a predetermined schedule. What is being illustrated this time is the use f different media t carry a single recmmendatin at each particular level. This brings us t the secnd principle: Develpment Cmmunicatin is mst effective when at each stage f the cmmunicatin system, it invlves the crdinated use f mre than ne media. If we return t the cmparisn with building a huse, we can refer t different media as a set f tls. A gd carpenter, des nt just use a hammer, he als uses a saw and a plane. Similarly we shuld use all the tls available t us: meetings, the printed wrd, audi-visual materials and s frth. The third issue I want t draw ut frm the cncept f the cmmunicatin system requires us t cnsider nt just the individual level f the system but the individual item f media used at a particular level. If we are all t be invlved in Develpment Cmmunicatin, and we all use a variety f media, it may demand a lt f resurces. There is cnsequently a great need t make sure that these resurces are used as efficiently as pssible. In rder t d this let us take anther lk at the diagram. We will see that the bxes cntain very brad categries f peple. 'Farmers' fr example wuld better be represented by a cllectin f different bxes, the farmers in each f these new bxes having different characteristics; ne bx might represent subsistence tenant farmers, anther may be literate prgressive farmers and anther may be wmen farmers prducing particular crps. This sub-divisin f the farmers may seem t cmplicate ur wrk, but in fact it prvides a basis fr us t use ur cmmunicatin resurces in the mst effective manner. T explain this further let us return, metaphrically, t the Windward Islands. If we take anther lk at the three psters that aim t prevent latex staining, we find that each is designed fr a different grup f farmers. In this case the grups are characterised by their lcatin. The first pster is the simplest, giving a single slgan and ne large illustratin. This is fr general use in villages where it aims t catch attentin and create awareness f the mst imprtant message. The secnd pster is fr use at meeting halls, gvernment ffices, 5

6 and ther places where farmers will have time t take a clse lk at the detail and discuss the 5 different items that are shwn. The third is fr use at Field Packing Statins. It has an intermediate level f infrmatin, cmbining a certain amunt f bldness in the design and a certain amunt f detail in the text. By selecting the pririty grups f farmers and by designing each item f media t meet the needs f a specific grup, the prject is using its resurces in a way hat will result in maximum impact. This is ur third principle: Develpment Cmmunicatins is mst effective when the media in use is designed fr the benefit f precisely identified audience grups. If we revisit the huse which is being built, what I am advcating is the accurate use f ur tls. We shuld nly hammer and saw thse pieces f timber which require it, and then nly after giving due cnsideratin t the grain f the wd. In rder t bring these three principles tgether, I wuld like t shw anther cmmunicatins prduct f the Winward Islands. This time it is a vide film which presents a number f imprtant agrnmic recmmendatins. The film is ver 20 minutes lng s we will nt be watching all f it. We will, hwever, see enugh t allw us t cnsider 3 issues: What grups f peple were invlved in the prductin prcess? Hw des it cmplement ther channels f cmmunicatin? and Hw accurately is it designed t suite the character-sties f particular audience grups? * * * Let us nw briefly cnsider ur three principles in relatin t this film. Principle ne: The film is nt just the prduct f media specialists. Befre the film culd be made, researchers had t carry ut trials, the technical specialists had t draw up a package f recmmendatins, and the trainers had t design a prgramme f activities that wuld pass these recmmendatins thrugh the system. The film was then designed t supprt certain f thse activities. Principle tw: Other media were used at the same time as the film. Print materials were develped t cnvey the same recmmendatins and, as the film indicated, field wrkers were als cmmunicating this infrmatin t the farmers. Principle three: The audience was identified as prgressive farmers having ver 5 acres f bananas with exprt -riented prductin. The planning f the film invlved a detailed analysis f this audience t determine their knwledge, attitudes, practices and resurces. Additinally, the film was tested n sample grups f these farmers befre being given a larger audience. What I hpe t have shwn by nw is the Develpment Cmmunicatins is nt a matter f a few specialists prducing islated radi prgrammes, r pamphlets, r vide films fr the wrld at large. Develpment Cmmunicatins is a matter f everybdy in an rganisatin using all suitable media as 6

7 precisely as pssible. Cnsequently, effective Develpment Cmmunicatins demands that cnsiderable attentin be given t analysis, planning and crdinatin. And it is in these areas that we can make the best start t imprving ur capabilities t infrm, educate and mtivate the rural cmmunity. The implicatin f these arguments is that effective Develpment Cmmunicatin depends as much n the skills f managerial staff as it des n the skills f media prducers and technicians. The next questin we need t ask urselves is: hw can these principles be put int practice? This will depend very much n the bjectives, resurces and rganisatin f each prject, but certain guidelines can be given if we examine the issues f Analysis, Planning and C-rdinatin: Analysis. This can be put int practice thrugh an 'Actin Research' prgramme which wuld include KAP studies f ur audience (knwledge, Attitudes and Practices) Pre-testing f all media at the draft stage Mnitring f adptin levels and the use f cmmunicatin channels. Sme prjects have special sectins that carry ut actin research, thugh in mst cases satisfactry infrmatin can be cllected thrugh ad-hc surveys jintly rganised by existing mnitring and media units. Planning. This can be put int practice thrugh drawing up a 'Seasnal Cmmunicatin Strategy' which wuld identify audience grups, subjects and media t fit every niche in the system. The Strategy wuld arise frm pre-seasnal meetings between Chief Extensin Officers, Chief Training Officers and the head f the media/cmmunicatins unit. Crdinatin. This can be put int practice thrugh a 'Seasnal Wrk Prgramme' based n the Cmmunicatin Strategy, fllwed by mnthly 'Prgress Statements'. Drawn up by the head f the media/cmmunicatins unit, the wrk prgramme wuld include the fllwing activities fr every prpsed item (r series f items) f media: prvisin f technical infrmatin, prductin f drafts, pretesting, apprval, final prductin, distributin and/r use. Fr each activity the prgramme wuld give dates and respnsibilities, and the entire Prgramme wuld require the apprval f the Prject Manager. The Prgress Statements wuld als be issued by the head f media/cmmunicatins, and meetings f apprpriate staff wuld be called if prgress did nt match the Prgramme. Activities such as these wuld nt make great demands n prject staff, but they wuld g a lng way in helping t ensure that ur three principles are implemented. As a result ur Develpment Cmmunicatin effrts wuld be far mre effective and we will be a large step clser t achieving prject bjectives. 7

8 Simplified cmmunicatin system 8