The document discusses communication strategies for promoting the adoption of smart ICT services in Africa. It identifies key stakeholders at the local, national, and international levels that need to be communicated with. At the local level, strategies include using radio/TV, participatory videos, success stories, training materials, and a helpline. At the national level, strategies proposed are videos, websites, policy briefs, workshops, and media stories. At the international level, online channels, media, and newsletters are suggested. The presentation emphasizes collecting success stories, photos, and videos to strengthen information sharing and get the word out through various communication channels.

1. Photo:DavidBrazier/IWMI
www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Nitasha Nair
11th March
Smart ICT Conference
Wageningen, Netherlands
Exploring Communications and Uptake Channels

2. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Structure of Presentation
• Why Smart ICT for Africa
• Whom do we communicate with
– Smart ICT for different stakeholders
• What is to be Communicated ?
• Communication Challenges
• Communication Strategy
• Where do we start ?

3. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Why Smart ICT for Africa ?
• Increasing Mobile and Internet usage in Africa
• Agriculture employs 65 percent of Africa’s labor force
• Ideal solution for Scattered fields, unpredictable weather and poor access to market
• Irrigated agriculture very low. Water infrastructure is precious and needs to be used
efficiently

4. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Communication Objective
To aid the adoption of Smart ICT services

5. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Whom do we communicate with ?
Smart ICT
Stakeholders
Local level
Farmers, Extension
Agents, Trainers, local influencers
like village heads
National or Country Level
Govt Officials (Irrigation, agri, meteorological
dept), Partners, Media, Pvt Orgs
International Level
Donors, Partners, Media, Pvt Orgs

6. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
What is to be Communicated ?
How Smart ICT benefits each of the Stakeholder
Farmers:
* About Smart ICT
and how to use it
* Spatial information
on water and plant
requirement
* Information on
water
consumption, bioma
ss production, water
use efficiency in their
blocks;
* Receive advice on
water scheduling;
Irrigationboards * Identify water
needs to improve
reservoir
management and
irrigation water
distribution
* Information on
water use
efficiency to
determine
optimal crop
water
consumption
ExtensionOfficers
* Advice Farmers on
- Irrigation water
management
* Fertilizer management
via Information on
nitrogen status
* Farming techniques via
Info on leaf area index
and biomass production
GovtAuthorities
* Identify areas
where water use
efficiency can be
improved
* Improve water
quality of streams
by reducing over-
irrigation
* Identify water
needs to improve
spate irrigation
management

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A water-secure world
Partners
* Future Roadmap –
scaling up potential
* Current Issues and
solutions
* Project updates PvtOrgnisations
* Project concept -
Idea, Impact
* Large scale Macro
perspective
* What is required
through partnerships
* Avenues of
investment
Media
* Project status
* Stories of change
* Impacts and Macro
perspective
What is to be Communicated ?

8. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Current Communication Tools
• Mobile
– Local languages used like Arabic, Amharic
• Website
– Local languages used like Arabic, Amharic
• Capacity Building and Training
• High level Workshops and Conferences

9. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Communication Challenges
• Illiteracy
– only 78% of sample farmers in Ethiopia understood message
sent while rest relied on others to understand the message
• Linguistic diversity – Arabic, Amharic, Beja to name a few
• Lack of knowledge about Smart ICT and its potential
• Unfamiliarity and discomfort using technology such as internet
• Gap in understanding message and consequent action to take
• No immediate resolution of doubts and queries

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Communication Strategy
List of options and channels

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Local Level
• Farmers,
• Extension
Agents,
• Trainers,
• local influencers
such as village
heads, teachers

12. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Strengthening Communication – Local
• Mass Media
– Radio or TV series
• Participatory Videos – Involving local farmers who share their experiences. Researchers, extension agents who
could be roped in to create a series of educational episodes (eg- Digital Green in India)
• Highlight success stories
• Continued training and capacity building
– Video Training material which don’t rely on the skill of the trainer
• Anytime reference material
– Easy to use and understand guides with basic set of instructions in local languages and pictorial
representation
• Telephone Helpline
– To provide assistance as and when required. Good for general queries but might not be effective for
specific queries
• Teaching Manual for extension agents and trainers
– Probably in video format

13. Photo:DavidBrazier/IWMIPhoto:TomvanCakenberghe/IWMIPhoto:DavidBrazier/IWMIPhoto:DavidBrazier/IWMI
National/Country Level
Govt Officials, Partners, Pvt
Organisations

14. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Strengthening Communication– National
• A Short 5 min video film
– Brief idea of project along with Success stories, potential impact and Benefits
– Very effective for introducing and summarizing Smart ICT project in conferences, meetings
• Online Website - Hosting and managing fieldlook website and knowledge locally
• Policy Briefs
– Easy to read, concise brief of the concept specifically aimed at policy makers
• Workshops
– Platform to bring together farmers, extension agents, policy makers
– High on impact
• Partnering with Similar forums promoting ICT
– ICTforAg, ICT4D
• Media Stories
– Human Interest stories and Success stories

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International Level
Donors, Partners, Pvt
Organisations, Media

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A water-secure world
Strengthening Communication– International
Aim - Generate interest and increase visibility
• Online Channels
– To share stories and different perspectives
– Social media platforms such as
blogs, twitter, facebook, youtube, linkedin
• Media
– Success Stories and Human Interest stories
– Infographics
• Regular project updates – newsletter ?

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Where Do We Start ?

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A water-secure world
• Identify Country-Wise most effective
communication channel and product
• Strengthen Information chain country-wise
• Collect Relevant Information
– Documentation
– At least 10 Success stories
– Photographs, Video, Audio Bites
– Online repository systems like Dropbox ?

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A water-secure world
And by getting the word out ..
CGIAR WLE Twitter stream WLE Blog

20. www.iwmi.org
A water-secure world
Presentations on Slideshare

21. Photo:DavidBrazier/IWMIPhoto:TomvanCakenberghe/IWMIPhoto:DavidBrazier/IWMIPhoto:DavidBrazier/IWMI
Suggestions ?
Nitasha Nair (n.nair@cgiar.org)