Communication

From acgg ilriwikis

This is the communication page of the African Chicken Genetic Gains (ACGG) program The person responsible for ACGG program communication is Ewen Le Borgne (e.leborgne[at]cgiar.org). He is supported in this by Beamlak Tesfaye (ILRI). Other ILRI communication and knowledge management people are supporting this project on an 'on-demand' basis. Some country teams (prominently Nigeria) also have their own communication capacity)

On this page you can find:

Communication in the ACGG program relies on the following communication and engagement channels and information platforms:

In addition, face-to-face engagement will be essential for the successful cooperation and coordination of work among all parties and partners involved in ACGG.

Communication strategy

(This is work in progress and will be updated soon again). Read the full communication strategy which was developed in February 2015 and updated in April 2015.

Key actors and other audiences

  • ====Country project teams====

The country project teams consist of the principal investigator (PI) playing a key role in mobilizing and connecting the countrys ecosystem of chicken genetics and value chain actors, one co-PI which focuses on technical research, the project coordinator, possibly two to three subject matter specialists, the sub-national coordinator for each sub-national scale (five per country) and 10 district representatives.

  • Consortium technical partners (Wageningen UR and PICO team)

These two organizations play a particular role in the project. They have to follow the same guidelines as the country project teams, but also be engaged closely with the CKM team.

  • ====Host institute International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)====

ILRI is the institute hosting this program and hiring the program management team. Research on chicken genetic improvement is essential for the wider body of research of ILRI too, and the outputs and insights generated by the ACGG program need to feed into the ILRI work and teams, as much as other ILRI research ought to positively influence the ACGG research. The CKM team will work with the program management team to ensure that ACGG is recognized and featured highly in ongoing ILRI channels and engagement processes, in its headquarters, crucially in the ILRI Addis campus and in other country offices (Nigeria, Tanzania) as and when applicable.

  • ====Scientific and industrial advisory committee (SIAC)====

The SIAC members will be appointed to provide independent evaluation and guidance to the program. Although this role is limited in terms of the time it requires, it has a lot of influence on decisions made through the program and for the wider uptake of ACGG findings.

  • Farmers and producers (especially women)

Farmers (and producers), and the wider communities around them are the intended beneficiaries of this program. They, or their representatives, will play a major role in the innovation platforms and are expected to contribute to a number of the program outcomes, to clarify their preferences for specific chicken breeds, to try these breeds out and report results that will help establish whether productivity, income and production gains are happening. They will be critical in the data collection process. In addition, a region-to-region knowledge sharing process within countries will involve farmers from target sites and from control sites.

  • ====Private sector actors====

ACGG puts a lot of emphasis on private sector actors (for the hatching, pre-vaccination, brooding, and sale of preferred chickens to farmers). They are the key to the sustainability of the chicken breeds developed and tested throughout the program, for their genetic improvement, multiplication and delivery.

  • ====Ministry and governmental agencies====

Aside from some specific objectives (obtaining clearance on import permits), ministries of livestock and/or agriculture, as well as other governmental agencies will play a crucial role in buying into the program and supporting its up-scaling through adequate policies and governance frameworks and activities that could otherwise prevent the uptake of the ACGG findings.

  • ====Research and development community in-country====

The research and education institutes, and development actors working alongside the chicken value chain in the three program countries will be instrumental in contributing to the research undertaken and to apply the results of the research in other communities and countries. National agricultural research system (NARS) agencies are key partners in the program and in many ways leading the program in-country.

  • ====Donor community====

If this program turns out to be a success, the team anticipates that other donors may be interested in developing a second phase or borrowing ideas from the program for their own investment portfolios.

  • ====Communications and outreach specialists====

We do not expect that all comms activities needed to deliver the project over time can be provided through the ILRI CKM team. We will engage with specialists in different communications and outreach areas such as radio, participatory video, mobile applications to ensure that results and messages and learning can be shared more widely, or with target actors.

  • ====Other audiences====

The section above has set out primary actor groups whose communication behavior has to be supported in the program. There are also some other groups, more like audiences, that may be interested in the program and its results but who are not top priority for the programs CKM activities.

  • Mass media: Especially in the first phase of the program when more media and public attention is sought, the team will engage with journalists and the media generally to raise awareness of the program. Once results appear, the power of the media to support scaling up may be tapped.
  • Other communication specialists in the program: the CKM team itself will likely function through specific focal persons in each of the countries. These focal points are expected to communicate continuously and to collaborate tightly, but given the nature of these specialists no big risk is anticipated there.
  • Students: Specific student programs may benefit from the insights gathered through ACGG. However these are not anticipated to play a major role until at least halfway through the program.
  • General public: Specific messages and information that impacts the broader public will be teased out and posted on related websites and news outlets that are easily accessible for that public. The connection with ILRI will be important in this sense too, as their overall public awareness efforts may dovetail ACGG's information for the general public.

Communication objectives

Based on the above-mentioned primary and secondary target audiences, and the overall goals of the program, the communication and knowledge management activities will focus on the following objectives. Each of these objectives will play a different role at every phase of the program.

  1. External presence and branding Especially at the onset of the program, ACGG will develop its visual identity and its online and offline presence through some well-targeted and integrated public awareness activities.
  2. Outreach, engagement and influence for wider impact ACGG will develop specific activities that help put research into use and get influential actors to collaborate and particularly support uptake of results, technologies and practices developed through or with the program.
  3. Collecting, publishing and disseminating ACGG will ensure that all its research products and outputs (also data) are properly documented, organized and published in ways that maximize their visibility and accessibility.
  4. Engaging, learning and documentation ACGG works through different networks, groups and levels and stimulating, enriching and expanding interactions, engagement and learning across these is vital to ensure everyone is joined up. This work encompasses face to face as well as online activities that lead to better insights and outcomes.
  5. Internal communications and learning ACGG will support interactions, collaboration and connections within and across different program teams.

Communication planning

January-June 2015

Deliverables for the first 6 months:

  • CKM worklows and guidelines (month 1) - DELIVERED
  • Program website (month 1) - DELIVERED
  • Program work space (month 1) - DELIVERED
  • Program social network (month 1) - DELIVERED
  • Google Calendar (month 1) - DELIVERED
  • CKM plan (month 2) - DELIVERED
  • Determine hashtag (month 2) - #ACGG #AfriChickenGen - DELIVERED
  • CKM workflows and guidelines (month 3) - DELIVERED
  • Regular updates on the website (from month 3 onwards) and on the work space (from month 5 onwards) - ONGOING
  • Program flyer and program information sheet/brief (month 4) - DELIVERED
  • Program poster (month 4) - DELIVERED
  • Identification of comms focal points in project countries (month 5) - DELIVERED (except for Nigeria)
  • Quarterly newsletter template (month 5) - DEFERRED
  • Publication guidelines and output types (month 5) - FOLLOW UP NEEDED
  • Branding and visibility guidelines for ACGG including logo, templates, boilerplate text etc. (month 5) - DELIVERED
  • Finalize tagline (month 5) - DELIVERED
  • Tentative plan for process documentation (month 5) - DEFERRED
  • Identification of potential policy champions to engage with (month 5) - DEFERRED
  • Training for the program management team and for the project country teams on all internal comms tools, platforms and processes (month 5) - DELIVERED
  • Information sheets about the program approach (month 6) - Some DELIVERED - more to FOLLOW
  • Two newsletter issues (quarterly) produced (month 6 and month 9) - DEFERRED (SEE ABOVE)
  • Additional details for the comms plan for the second semester of 2015 (month 6) - Partly DELIVERED see below)

July-December 2015

Deliverables for the second period of ACGG

  • Video clip developed for farmer engagement (months 10-11) - DEFERRED
  • 6 Portraits of staff on the website (month 11) - DONE
  • 5 Information sheets about: the program approach, gender work, chicken strains, the program in all three countries (month 11) - DEFERRED
  • Yam Jam supported and organized (month 11) - DEFERRED
  • Identification of potential policy champions to engage with (month 11) - PENDING ON INPUTS FROM PROGRAM TEAM
  • Support provided in thinking innovation platform engagement through (month 11) - ONGOING
  • Network of journalists identified for future engagement - in 2016 (month 12) - ONGOING
  • Process documentation plan (month 12) - DEFERRED
  • Industry chicken cocktail organized for private sector operators and ACGG project team (month 12) - DEFERRED
  • Support ACGG staff prepare sessions/presentations at event (as and when) - FOLLOW UP NEEDED
  • Statistical report from ACGG comms platforms provided (month 12) - DONE

2016

Deliverables for the second year of ACGG

  • Short Comms stat report (month 1) - DONE
  • Comms tool training refresher organized (month 1) - DONE
  • Annual program management team and SIAC meetings designed, facilitated and documented (month 2) - DONE
  • Package developed for private sector actors (months 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) - ONGOING - NEEDS FOLLOW UP
  • YamJam supported (month 2) - DONE
  • 4 process posts written (months 3, 6, 9, 12) - DONE
  • Industry cocktail piloted in one country (Ethiopia, by month 6) - POSTPONED TO 2017
  • 6 information briefs (month 4) on country profile and key themes - PENDING ON INPUTS PROGRAM TEAM
  • 1 industry brief developed (month 4) - DONE
  • 1 video clip developed around farmer interactions (month 4) - POSTPONED TO 2017
  • Training program developed for NARS in Ethiopia (month 4) - PENDING ON REQUEST BY ETHIOPIA TEAM
  • 1 documentation report on innovation platform processes (month 5) - PENDING ON COOPERATION WITH PICO
  • 1 media event organized (by month 6) - POSTPONED TO 2017
  • (Possibly) another industry cocktail in another country (month 6) - POSTPONED TO 2017
  • Exchange visit assisted and designed (month 6 - TENTATIVE);
  • YamJam supported (month 6) - ABANDONED
  • Short Comms stat report (month 6) - DONE
  • CKM plan reviewed (month 7) - POSTPONED TO 2017
  • 1 industry brief developed (month 8) - PENDING ON INPUTS TEAM
  • 1 policy brief developed (by month 9);
  • CKM guidelines and workflows reviewed (month 9) - POSTPONED TO 2017;
  • 1 blog post written on the Impatient Optimists blog (by month 9) - POSTPONED TO 2017;
  • 1 video clip developed around farmer interactions (month 10) - POSTPONED TO 2017
  • 1 documentation report on innovation platform processes (month 11) - POSTPONED TO 2017;
  • Short Comms stat report (month 12) - NOT DONE
  • 6 press clippings (across the year) - NEED FOLLOW UP;
  • Wiki updates (ongoing / monthly) - ONGOING;
  • Monthly management-comms team meetings (ongoing) - DONE;
  • Regular web updates (1-2 stories per month) edited, of which half are written by the comms team (ongoing) - DONE.
  • All final project outputs collected and curated on CG Space (ongoing) - DONE (ONGOING);
  • Posters and flyers (as and when);
  • Low literacy posters (as and when);

2017

'Deliverables for the third year of ACG'G See the plan for ACGG comms in 2017, including budget and work plan for consultant Mike Tsegaye: File:ACGG Comms implementation plan 2017 year 3.docx

  • CKM plan reviewed (month 1) - DONE (here)
  • Short Comms stat report (month 1) - DONE
  • Package developed for private sector actors (months 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) - ONGOING
  • 1 blog post written on the ‘Impatient Optimists’ blog (by month 6) - TO FOLLOW UP ON
  • 4 ‘process posts’ written (months 3, 6, 9, 12) - covered through gender comms campaign
  • A ' gender communication campaign' conducted (months 3-6) - ONGOING
  • Industry cocktail piloted in one country (Ethiopia, by month 3) - POSTPONED TO...?
  • 3 country profiles and 3 country briefs developed (month 5) - ONGOING
  • 1 video clip developed around farmer interactions (month 4) - ONGOING
  • 1 media event organized (by month 6) - TO FOLLOW UP ON
  • Short Comms stat report (month 6) - DONE
  • CKM plan reviewed (month 7) - DONE
  • (unplanned) Comms survey (month 7) - DONE
  • Annual program management team and SIAC meetings designed, facilitated and documented (month 9) -
  • 1 video clip developed around farmer interactions (month 10) - TO FOLLOW UP ON
  • Short Comms stat report (month 12);
  • 6 press clippings (across the year) - TO FOLLOW UP ON
  • Wiki updates (ongoing / monthly) - ONGOING
  • Monthly management-comms team meetings (ongoing) - ONGOING;
  • Regular web updates (1-2 stories per month) edited, of which half are written by the comms team (ongoing) - ONGOING;
  • All final project outputs collected and curated on CG Space (ongoing) - ONGOING;
  • Posters and flyers (as and when);
  • Low literacy posters (as and when)

2018

Deliverables for the fourth year of ACGG

  • CKM plan reviewed (month 2)
  • Short Comms stat report (month 2)
  • CKM plan reviewed (month 7)
  • Annual program management team and SIAC meetings designed, facilitated and documented (month 9)
  • A 'long term genetic gains' campaign conducted (months 9-10)
  • Short Comms stat report (month 12);
  • 6 press clippings (across the year)
  • Wiki updates (ongoing / monthly) - ONGOING
  • Monthly management-comms team meetings (ongoing) - ONGOING;
  • Regular web updates (1-2 stories per month) edited, of which half are written by the comms team (ongoing) - ONGOING;
  • All final project outputs collected and curated on CG Space (ongoing) - ONGOING;
  • Tentative:

Package developed for private sector actors (month 7) Industry cocktail piloted in one country (Ethiopia, by month 3) - POSTPONED TO...? Posters and flyers (as and when); Low literacy posters (as and when)


Branding, identity and visibility guidelines

The main aim of these guidelines is to contribute towards a coherent identity for the African Chicken Genetic Gains (ACGG) program across all program countries and to increase its visibility among its beneficiaries, research partners, and other stakeholders. All research partners under ACGG are expected to adhere to these guidelines for consistency and shall proactively work towards promoting the visibility of the project.

Name

The full name is ‘African Chicken Genetic Gains’. It should not be abbreviated into 'ACGG' except in informal and unofficial communications such as emails among partners or documents meant for internal audiences only.

The program has one general logo that should be displayed prominently on all communication products. Final green bg text helix vertical.png

Other (partner) logos are displayed on official ACGG products:

All these logos are made available on the following documents and references:

  • Project website (banner)
  • Project presentation template, covering all briefs, working papers etc.
  • Project document template (upcoming)

Banners

African Chicken Genetic Gains products should also acknowledge the official sponsors of the program: CGIAR, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A standard banner should be used for this.

Program products also acknowledge the lead organization (ILRI) and the two major partner organizations (PICO-Eastern Africa and Wageningen UR).

Specific outputs may acknowledge the specific set of partners in that project as well as the CGIAR research program on livestock and fish

Where the program wishes to represent itself on a building, field plot or other physical asset, the banner below should be used. This is available in different sizes from the wiki: NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED

Document and Powerpoint presentation templates

A Word template will be prepared for use in all documents and written outputs unless otherwise specified. A File:powerpoint_template_acgg_FINAL.potx Powerpoint template is also available for use in all presentations provided by staff involved in the African Chicken Genetic Gains program. The types of publications that could be published as part of ACGG are the same as the ILRI ones. See annex one in this document: [[2]]

Use of logos

All publications and multimedia materials produced under the African Chicken Genetic Gains program (including studies, reports, papers, publications, presentations, websites/Internet activities, audiovisual productions, and any other promotional, informational, media, or communication products) must use the standard templates and banners provided. These contain all the required logos and banners for program and project use. All final products shall be sent to a member of the program communication team (below) to be checked for consistency.

Output repository

Final versions of all documents, reports, video etc should be recorded and indexed in the program repository: [[3]] Communication staff members assigned to the project all have necessary permissions to do this. Special formats are normally published online in specialized tools: posters and presentations (ILRI slideshare); video and photofilms (ILRI youtube); photos (ILRI flickr). These should always tag the product as an output of the African Chicken Genetic Gains program.

Tagline

More productive chickens for Africa's smallholders

Standard descriptive (boilerplate) text

African Chicken Genetic Gains is an Africa-wide collaboration led by the International Livestock Research Institute. Part of the wider ‘LiveGene‘ initiative, ACGG tests and makes available high-producing, farmer-preferred genotypes that increase smallholder chicken productivity in Africa.

Program partners include the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Nigeria; Tanzania Livestock Research Institute; Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research; Wageningen University Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre; PICO Eastern Africa; and Koepon. The program is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Part of ILRI's LiveGENE initiative, it contributes to the CGIAR Livestock and Fish Research Program.

Events

All events financed by African Chicken Genetic Gains (including training courses, conferences, seminars, meetings, learning events, exhibitions, fairs, workshops, press conferences, and other public activities) should carry appropriate branding (see above).

Events name badge template

File:ACGG name badge.pptx

Branding, identity and visibility guidelines for partners

The guidelines above are expected to be applied across the entire program by all parties involved. Should (in-country or thematic) partners:

  • Have special requests to develop additional branding materials (e.g. freebies, business cards etc.): They can develop these, following as much as possible the guidelines above. Unless these items have been planned for the entire program, they should be financed by the partners concerned themselves. At any rate, before these branded items are produced, they should run them by the Comms team (supervisor) for a final consistency check before these are being used.
  • Have special requests to update these guidelines: they should contact the Comms team (supervisor) for guidance.
  • Develop their own products/outputs aside from these guidelines: They should immediately notify the ACGG program management team and Comms team (supervisor) for consistency checking.

ACGG in the news

Interesting media to keep track of for visibility, engagement etc. include:

Communication work coordination

The links below are particularly relevant for the comms and KM team involved in this project.

Countries comms liaison person

Tanzania

  • TBC

Nigeria

  • Story contact person Fikayo Oyewale, Email: evankayo@gmail.com
  • Oladeji Bamidele contact person

Ethiopia

  • Solomon Abegaz, Email: solo.abegaz[at]gmail.com


· Comms tool training refresher organized (month 1); · Annual program management team and SIAC meetings designed, facilitated and documented (month 2); · YamJam supported (month 2); · Industry cocktail piloted in one country (Ethiopia, by month 4); · 4 process posts written (months 3, 6, 9, 12); · 6 information briefs (month 4) on country profile and key themes; · 1 industry brief developed (month 4); · 1 documentation report on innovation platform processes (month 5); · 1 media event organized (by month 6); · (Possibly) another industry cocktail in another country (month 6); · Exchange visit assisted and designed (month 6); · YamJam supported (month 6); · CKM plan reviewed (month 7); · 1 industry brief developed (month 8); · 1 policy brief developed (by month 9); · CKM guidelines and workflows reviewed (month 9); · 1 documentation report on innovation platform processes (month 11); · 6 press clippings (across the year); · Wiki updates (ongoing / monthly); · Monthly management-comms team meetings (ongoing); · Regular web updates (1-2 stories per month) edited, of which half are written by the comms team (ongoing); · All final project outputs collected and curated on CG Space (ongoing); · Posters and flyers (as and when); · Low literacy posters (as and when);

Communication platform stats (reports)

These reports are produced half-yearly or yearly.