Learning our way into communication: the making of the communication and information strategy with the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme in Uganda
Ramirez, R.
Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 11(1/4): 1-15
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1389-224X DOI: 10.1080/13892240585300031Document Number: 312262
This paper reports on the making of the Communication and Information Strategy with the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme (NAADS) in Uganda. The NAADS is a new organization in government responsible for the implementation of a demand-driven agricultural extension approach. The new extension approach calls for fundamental changes in skills and attitudes by farmers, extension workers, researchers, and government officials at all levels. The NAADS Communication and Information Strategy aims to engage stakeholders through different media to explore the new mechanisms and discuss the roles they are expected to play. In developing the strategy, a conscious effort was made to facilitate a process of institutional learning where the change agent helped the organization 'learn its way' into communication planning. This paper opens with a review of three fields of literature that shine light on the approach: change management, demand-driven extension, and communication for development. There follows a description of the approach and the paper concludes with a review of guidelines and a reflection on the 'principles that travel' to other contexts.