In November 2023, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) joined hands with several organizations to host a groundbreaking 5-day virtual training workshop on participatory video for Africa in November 2023. This event, attended by over 30 participants from different farmers’ organizations, academia, and advocacy groups, marked a significant step toward harnessing the potential of PV as a tool for sustainable development. Most of the participants came from countries with thriving family farmers including Burundi, Cabo Verde Gambia, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
The power of participatory video
Participatory video is a communication approach that empowers community members and stakeholders to actively participate in the planning, creation, and sharing of video content. This approach promotes inclusive and sustainable development by reflecting local realities and enabling diverse stakeholders to share knowledge and make informed decisions. In essence, participatory video enhances Communication for Development efforts by directly addressing the needs identified by the community.
FAO’s commitment to capacity building
In collaboration with Digital Green, the College of Development Communication of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB-CDC), and YenKasa Africa, FAO is taking a proactive approach to build capacity in participatory video production, sharing, monitoring and evaluation, within agri-food systems and digital environments.
One of the key driving factors behind this initiative is the accessibility of low-cost digital technologies. These technologies have become more prevalent, enabling farmers’ organizations and rural institutions to embrace participatory video for development purposes. The applications of PV are far-reaching, spanning agricultural innovations, digital marketing, policy dialogue, accountability, and informed consent.
Building a community of practice
In addition to the training sessions, the participatory video training in Africa is also associated with a dedicated Community of Practice (CoP) via WhatsApp. This CoP provides a platform for participants to continue sharing their learnings, discuss challenges, and collaborate with peers even after the training. Coaching activities are also offered to support participants in applying participatory video in their work and sharing their experiences.
Conclusion
The FAO-led initiative to introduce participatory video training in Africa represents a significant step toward empowering communities and stakeholders to actively engage in sustainable development processes. participatory video is poised to become a powerful tool for addressing the unique challenges faced by farmers and rural communities across the African continent. As these training programs expand and evolve, they will drive positive change, foster knowledge sharing, and promote collaboration among diverse stakeholders working towards a more sustainable and prosperous future in agriculture and beyond.
Before Africa, FAO and its partners successfully conducted a participatory video Training of Trainers (ToT) last October 2023 and similar training for Asia-Pacific also in November 2023. In early 2024, this training will also be organized in Latin America and also in French.