FAO boosting communication capacity in Southern Africa

Johannesburg – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' (FAO) work in Southern Africa calls for better communication to raise public awareness, inform and educate, but also to support partnership building and resource mobilization.

The FAO Subregional Office for Southern Africa covers 15 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. More than 30 FAO communication officers are operating within the subregion.

This network met in Johannesburg for a week-long capacity development workshop to enhance skills and abilities to effectively manage and implement communication strategies in a fast-evolving digital and media environment.

The workshop is also aimed at strengthening communication efforts for the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, particularly focusing on specific country contexts and key common initiatives such as climate resilience building, and flagship programmes on mechanization, One Health, and investment and trade. The FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa Patrice Talla urged the communications team to optimize collective action on highlighting FAO's role in supporting countries' transformation towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in the region.

“This workshop marks the beginning of a vital process aimed at harmonizing our approach, aligning our efforts with FAO's global vision, and equipping ourselves with the tools and strategies for effective communication. As communication professionals, you are at the forefront of this mission. Your role is critical in shaping the narrative, advocating for our causes, and mobilizing resources for FAO corporate initiatives,” said Talla.

The workshop comes as a recommendation of the 17^th Subregional Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meeting held in November 2023 which emphasized the need to strengthen cohesion and coordination between the communication team and technical officers. The multidisciplinary team is anchored and framed under the notion that communication is everyone’s business within FAO.

In accordance with the renewed mandate of the FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, corporate identity and communication is essential to the visibility, recognition and impact of FAO. The Subregional Office has embarked on adopting the principles of speaking with One FAO voice, with unity and clarity, while promoting innovation and creativity in all communications. This will go a long way in presenting a strong FAO corporate identity that promotes unified, accurate and consistent messaging.

The workshop involved interactive sessions designed to enhance participants' skills in strategic communication, including messaging, media relations, digital tools, and stakeholder engagement.

“The training was both comprehensive and practical, focusing on enhancing our ability to engage effectively with local communities and stakeholders. We explored advanced digital tools, learned innovative storytelling techniques, and gained valuable insights into managing media relations. The emphasis on tailoring messages to meet the diverse needs of our audience was particularly enlightening,” said Alice Maro, Communications Specialist for FAO in the United Republic of Tanzania.

Coordinated with support from the FAO Regional Office for Africa and the FAO Office for Communications, the workshop focused on sharing best practices and emerging trends, fostering a collaborative environment to share experiences and solutions for a common communication vision.  

“I am excited about the implementation of the new strategies and tools that we have learned. The digital media platforms, communication tools and resources will significantly broaden our reach and effectiveness. We are poised to make a more profound impact in addressing the communication challenges while strengthening our skills, thanks to the knowledge gained from this workshop,” said Phillipus Tobias, Communications Specialist for FAO in Namibia.

The workshop concluded with all the Communication Specialists committing to follow-up steps to ensure sustained improvement and application of the newly-acquired knowledge and skills. A comprehensive communication plan focused on building climate resilience in the face of the impacts of El Niño- and La Niña-induced droughts has been developed during the workshop, as well as a capacity development follow-up programme, communication kit for projects, and a detailed report that will be presented during the next MDT meeting in November 2024 in Zimbabwe.