CTA/ ACP Press, 9 November 2011: Acknowledging the crucial role that media play in raising awareness, understanding and action about educating and empowering farmers with the latest technology and information they need to meet the world’s growing food demands, the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), announced the results of a journalist competition on agricultural extension and advisory services in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP). Of the more than 145 entries, the international judges have selected six winners, one each from the four African sub-regions, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The winners are:

　

·Anish Chand (Fiji, Pacific)

·James Karuga (Kenya, Eastern Africa)

·Anne Matho Moutsou, (Cameroun, Central Africa)

·Patrina Pink (Jamaica, Caribbean)

·Bouréima Sanga, (Burkina Faso, Western Africa)

-Kizito Sikuka (Zimbabwe, Southern Africa)

　

Alison Saunders, chief judge and Managing Director, SFa Communications, Barbados remarked, "From the entries, it is evident that there are many challenges facing farmers in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific. At the same time, it was extremely encouraging to learn about innovations such as the increasing use of information and communications technologies (ICTs), like mobile phones and internet-based solutions to meet the needs of the farming communities".

The competition–organized by CTA as a run up to the international conference on extension and advisory services in Nairobi, Kenya from November 15 to 18–was aimed at encouraging journalists to investigate challenges and opportunities in providing extension and advisory services to farmers, to showcase success stories and best practices that can be replicated, and to generally raise awareness about the importance of agriculture and rural development.

"This competition is an excellent initiative. Ultimately, it showcased best practices about the importance of media and communications in promoting agricultural development. The candidates showed talent, creativity and originality in bringing out local experiences and practices around extension and advisory services in ACP countries," said Professor Gervais Mbarga, Professor, information and communication, University of Moncton, Canada, another international judge.

The winners will each receive a cash prize of Euros 1000. A final selection of the top three winners will be announced on 17 November 2011, during the conference on "Innovations in Extension and Advisory Services: Linking Knowledge to Policy and Action for Food and Livelihoods" in Nairobi, Kenya.

(Photo: Information sharing at CTA extension and advisory services/ CTA, F. Zandgrond)

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More about the conference Neglect of extension and advisory services has been detrimental to the advancement of agricultural and rural development in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and beyond. As a result, smallholder farmers, particularly those in remote rural communities have suffered. Extensionists and other advisors normally facilitate the smooth flow of information and knowledge exchange at community level. In recent years, efforts have been made to reform extension and advisory services in agriculture. The success and impact of these efforts will be reviewed, shared and new pathways developed at this international conference, which is expected to be attended by over 350 participants from 74 countries all over the world. CTA has teamed up with national, regional and international partners to organise this conference. These include GFRAS, AFAAS, ANAFE, Biovision International, EIARD, FAO, FARA, FSA, UWI, ICRA, ICRAF, IFAD, IRETA, KARI, The Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya, NEPAD Agency and University of Nairobi. For more information about the conference, please visit: http://extensionconference2011.cta.int

About CTA: The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is a joint ACP-EU institution active in agricultural and rural development in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Its mission is to advance food and nutritional security, increase prosperity and encourage sound natural resource management in ACP countries. It does this by providing access to information and knowledge and strengthening the capacity of agricultural and rural development institutions and communities in ACP countries. CTA also facilitates multi-stakeholder engagements and dialogue in agriculture and rural development thereby providing an enabling environment for knowledge sharing, consensus building and learning, to inform policies and decision making processes and improve rural livelihoods.

For more information on CTA visit, www.cta.int.