Rural Communication Services For Family Farming In Asia And The Pacific

The Global Action Plan of the UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF 2019-28) recognizes the need to promote rural communication services (RCS) to advance sustainable food systems. RCS comprise demand-led communication processes, media applications and institutional arrangements to respond to the needs of family farmers and rural populations in a sustained and inclusive manner. This report summarizes the results and takeaways of online consultations and a virtual Regional Forum on RCS for Family Farming in Asia and the Pacific, organized in 2022 by ComDev Asia (CDA), a regional communication initiative, in collaboration with FAO, farmers’ organizations, rural institutions and communication networks.

The United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019–2028) acknowledges the importance of inclusive rural communication services (RCS) to advance the economic, environmental and social dimensions of family farming. [Author] This study examines RCS’s role in family farming and rural transformation in Asia and the Pacific, integrating case studies with media and information technology trends to emphasize the need for participatory, farmer-centred communication aligned with local realities. [Author] The study concludes with recommendations for embedding RCS into national policies, fostering development opportunities for family farmers and rural communities in the region. [Author]

The Global Action Plan of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–2028 (UNDFF) recognizes the need to promote rural communication services (RCS) to advance sustainable food systems. RCS comprise demand-led communication processes, media applications and institutional arrangements to respond to the needs of family farmers and rural populations in a sustained and inclusive manner. This report presents a comprehensive summary of the virtual UNDFF Forum on Inclusive Rural Communication Services for Family Farming, which took place on 11 July 2022. Organized by FAO’s Communication for Development (ComDev) team, in collaboration with specialized communication entities, the forum marked the global culmination of an extensive consultative process. The report captures the key outcomes, insights, and strategic recommendations from these global and regional processes, offering guidance for promoting and advancing RCS for family farmers.

The Global Action Plan of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–2028 (UNDFF) recognizes the need to promote Rural Communication Services (RCS) to advance sustainable food systems. [Author] RCS comprise demand-led communication processes, media applications and institutional arrangements to respond to the needs of family farmers and rural populations in a sustained and inclusive manner. [Author] This report summarizes the results and takeaways of online consultations and a virtual Regional Forum on RCS for Family Farming in Africa, organized in 2022 by Yenkasa Africa, a regional communication initiative, in collaboration with FAO, farmers’ organizations, rural institutions and communication networks. [Author]

The UN Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028) acknowledges the importance of inclusive rural communication services (RCS) to advance economic, environmental and social dimensions of family farming. Focusing on Africa, this study examines the role of RCS in rural transformation and family farming and provides insights for the region. Through case studies and a review of media and ICT trends and policies, it highlights the need for participatory, farmer-centred communication approaches and responsive delivery mechanisms aligned with local socioeconomic realities. The study concludes with recommendations for embedding RCS into national policies, thereby opening new development opportunities for family farmers and rural communities in the Africa region.

Today family farming is the predominant form of agriculture in the world. Communication lies at the core of the process of change that involves family farming. Smallholder family farmers and rural communities require access to information and communication to make their voices heard and change their lives for the better. This implies including communication for development (ComDev) as part of agricultural and rural development policies in order to promote dialogue and participation, harnessing the potential of new ICTs (such as mobile phones, the internet and computer-based applications) in combination with local media (such as community radio). This document has been prepared to inspire reflection on the role of communication in advancing family farming. It provides examples of ComDev approaches applied to farming and rural development with special attention to the experiences generated by farmers' organizations.

The Regional Action Plan for strengthening family farming in South Asia has been elaborated through a participatory and multi-stakeholder approach in the framework of the UN Decade of Family Farming and in close collaboration with SAARC Agriculture Center, the Asia Farmer Association for Sustainable Rural Development and the International Cooperative Alliance – Asia Pacific. Consultations with farmers’ organizations, cooperatives and other relevant stakeholders at country level first helped identifying and prioritizing key interventions for the region along the seven pillars of the Global Action Plan. These initial inputs then contributed to the overall drafting of the contextualized pillars led by recognized experts from the region. The draft pillars were presented during a first regional virtual consultation on UN Decade of Family Farming: Formulating Strategies and Action Plan to Strengthen Smallholder Family Farmers in South Asia held on the 5–6 November 2020. A follow up regional consultation meeting on review and finalization of the Regional Action Plan for strengthening family farming in South Asia was then organized on 29 July 2021. The objective was to present, discuss and validate the draft Regional Action Plan for strengthening family farming in South Asia. This Regional Action Plan aims at facilitating and accelerating the process of developing national action plans through inclusive multi-stakeholder processes, not only putting family farmers at the centre but recognizing them as critical partners.