Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction  Comms and Engagement Process  Analysis of submitted communication plans  Planning ahead & Roles and responsibilities Communication Plan meeting agenda

WLE Regional Program in the Ganges WLE: Engagement, partnerships & communication

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction WLE KMC Ecosystem Collaboration Repositories Training/ writeshops Science Focal Point Meeting Webinars KM4CRPs Sharing & Engagement Dropbox Google docs Google Calendar

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Traditional Research Communication vs Communication for R4D AreaConventional Research Comms R4D Comms ObjectivesContribute to knowledge, Inform and provide Change perceptions and behavior TargetsResearchers, scientists, academics Actors in multiple sectors MethodologyOne way, mechanistic Passive Two way, iterative process, participatory StrategiesPublish Scientific meetings Inform Public Information Systematic Focused on use rather than production Multiple products, channels, contributors WhenAt end of research processContinuous process

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Sustaining engagement/communication

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Behaviour Change Communication is a science! Vehicles /learning / Co- design Products Messages & Appeals Builds on KAS identified and helps develop a model for addressing the changes we want to see. Individual – or own behaviours Social – norms and culture - peers Local and wider environment – factors influencing access, price, opportunities

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction WLE Multiple scales and levels: contextualized Project National/Landscape Regional Global Global knowledge leader and advance ESS/R based approach Influencing investments and policies Reaching Next users Michael Abby Martina

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Comms & Engagement at the regional level Regularly updating and engaging with your stakeholders Organizing events Event and contact management Partnership & Engagement Tailoring products Use of different media Communication and targeted materials Buzz and messages Support projects in developing products and processes Story telling Communication & Messaging Information Management Collaborative spaces for internal learning - collaboration Knowledge sharing

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Process for Developing Uptake/comms plan Diagnose Review project plans, worksheets, deliverables Synthesize across projects (table presented by Zadoc) Design Develop overall regional communication & engagement plan Support projects to develop comms plans Implement Capacity development Sharing/coordination M&E

WLE Regional Program in the Ganges Communication and Engagement Plans Feedback Meeting, 22 nd May 2015 Michael, Zadoc, Abby and Desalegne

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Next Users - Observations  Who is a next user? Influence change Stakeholder consultations  Identified: policy-makers, government, donors, investors, NAROs  Next user are lumped together Demonstrate you know what they are doing

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Observations Cont’D –  Too broad e.g.: decision-makers, civil society organizations, universities etc.  Look out for platforms e.g. National level -Ethiopia can feed into the Agricultural Water Management Platform

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction What are the implications  Zero down to specific users  E.g.: target individuals in organizations  Narrow down number of next users & TARGET  Our regional team will:  Link national next users (Ministries and NGOs) to donors/investors and regional institutions  NBI, ASARECA, ENTRO, UNEP, NBD  Establish contact database

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Key Messages  What are key messages? Statements on: The change you purport to influence That easily compels the attention of the potential next user  Messages were too general,  they didn’t target next users  Some have no association with project deliverables

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction What are the Implications  Re-craft the messages: -what does the project intend to deliver, -what value is the project adding to the next user -what are the benefits for the next users –i.e. how does the statement address the next user’s agenda/priorities/portfolio

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Key Actions  Research – how do our next users consume information?  Show process of engagement  Recommended: Focal person for each stakeholder group  Tap into incentives  Examples: In Uganda, policymakers say they don’t like reading briefs or reports, but a good documentary will go far! In Kenya, sometimes its better to talk to the first lady than the president…

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Channels, tools and products  Let’s be realistic Time, budget, activities  Capacity  Targeted Video for farmers will be different from a video for donors or policymakers  WLE will provide: Standard templates Quality oversight

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Engagement and Communication Plan Monthly meetings 1-1 interactions Coordination Contact database Engaging regional organization and key high-level national organizations Monthly newslettter, external events list Engagement and Outreach Redo/update brochure and regional materials Standardize templtaes Document stories of science and outcomes Update/information for project website Communication Event calendar of project activities Update wikispace Collect and store documents Knowledge sharing

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Roles & Responsibilities Program Level Regional Level Project Level

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction Program Level  website/blog  repository of outputs  publication formats  social media  outreach to donors/investors  document outcomes  standard templates, branding Roles and Responsibilities

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction  capacity development for communicators  outreach to key regional actors  backstopping for production/ideas/advice - NOT Implementation  contact database  media contact support  linking projects to external audiences  brochures  facilitating sharing between projects  support development of coms and engagement plans Regional Level

Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction  develop and implement uptake/comms plan  produce budget for comms materials  produce comms materials  active communication with regional team  contribute to monthly updates/e-letter  document success stories  collaborate with other projects  actively engage with next users Project Level