Communications in MAIZE AFS
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The document outlines communications strategies and activities for the MAIZE (Maize Agri-food System) CRP (CGIAR Research Program) in Phase I. It discusses communicating results through various channels like websites, newsletters, and social media. It highlights partnerships with over 200 organizations and engaging actors like NGOs and the media. Metrics on communications outputs like newsletters and social media are provided. The document also discusses challenges, opportunities, and the communications approach for Phase II, including cross-CRP collaboration.
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Communications in MAIZE AFS
- 1. COMMUNICATIONS in MAIZE AFS Geneviève Renard January 25, 2017
- 2. CRP Phase I Highlights
- 3. Communications Strategy Communicate about: program, science, results and progress through different channels. – Document and share: successes of projects, partnerships and competitive grantees. – Promote: learning and sharing of information. – Engage with: actors on the ground, media and marketing campaigns, NGOs, other CRPs. – Provide support for: policy dialogue and events.
- 4. Partners • Highlight, communicate and document the results of successful partnerships via MAIZE communications mediums: – 134 national agricultural research institutes – 24 regional and international organizations – 33 advanced agricultural research institutes – 100 universities in developing and developed countries – 67 private sector organizations – 57 non-government organizations and farmer associations – 11 country governments that host maize offices – Nearly 200 small- and medium-sized seed companies, and over 200 community-based seed producers that reach out to disadvantaged farmers
- 5. Theory of Change Communication about Partnerships at CRP level Activities Outputs Immediate Outcomes Intermediate Outcomes Impacts / Long-term Outcomes Strengthened partnerships under MAIZE CRP Achievement of MAIZE CRP’s results Strengthened CRP MAIZE’s story, identify and credibility Greater strategic and operational alignment of partners and CRP MAIZE’s scientists Partners and CRP MAIZE scientists have better understanding of CRP MAIZE and its partnerships Partners and CRP MAIZE’s scientists increased sense of ownership to the CRP and its partnerships Partners and CRP MAIZE’s scientists increased awareness of the CRP and its partnerships Increased demonstration of partners’ contribution via CRP MAIZE Audiences and partners analysis Preparation and dissemination of communication material Strategic communication planning Translating scientific information for different audiences Cross-promotion with partners and CRP MAIZE’s scientists Documented audiences and partners and associated roles, needs, capacities Communication Strategies Communication materials: e.g., reports, newsletters, magazines, articles, social media, conference support with linkages to associated partners and CRP MAIZE’s scientists
- 6. MAIZE communication channels • Website – Nearly 150,000 views since launch – In-depth articles communicating MAIZE research • Quarterly Newsletter – Share updates and achievements with stakeholders • Social Media – MAIZE Facebook page: an online social platform
- 7. Selected Communications Products Technical Annual Reports Editing and formatting support for MAIZE CRP Documents Annual Reports “Women Working with Maize in Mexico” photo documentary Quarterly Newsletters Website Articles Social Media Content
- 8. Metrics Quarterly MAIZE CRP Newsletters Sent to: 1769 people Opened by 26.3% MAIZE Facebook 27.5% increase in Facebook likes from January 2016-2017 Most popular posts this year: Newsletter
- 9. Contributing to Global ‘Maize’ Conversation Published numerous articles in 2016 highlighting MAIZE projects, goals and partnerships, such as… • Ancient maize varieties provide modern solution to tar spot complex – Posted to MAIZE, SeeD and CIMMYT websites – Shared on: CGIAR Facebook, Seedquest, and Global Plant Protection News • Red root marker creates new opportunities for DH breeding • Maize seed systems in Africa: Understanding the basics • Emergency seed project brings relief to drought-affected farmers in Ethiopia • Learning from 8,000 people to integrate gender into agricultural research • Spotlight: MAIZE in Africa
- 10. Success stories
- 11. Collaborating with donor institutions • Short history of drought tolerance breeding for tropical maize developed in collaboration with UNDP, as part of CIMMYT and UNDP’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which coincided in 2016 acknowledging UNDP’s initial investment Highlighting the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Initiative (DTMA) with IITA • Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO, visited CIMMYT HQ to learn more about how our research reaches smallholder farmers and even tried her hand at making a pollination in maize! Joint campaigning Donor engagement
- 12. Videos and Infographics MAIZE CRP Infographic, 2014 Videos, MAIZE website Climate Change and Maize in Asia Infographic, 2014
- 14. GENNOVATE • MAIZE and WHEAT leading on study cases globally • Inform colleagues, partners and stakeholders on updates and progress through annual report articles, blog posts, newsletter and social media updates • Provide content for CGIAR Gender and GENNOVATE pages GENNOVATE is a cross-CRP, global comparative research initiative which addresses the question of how gender norms and agency influence men, women and youth to adopt innovation in agriculture and natural resource management (NRM). https://gender.cgiar.org/collaborative-research/gennovate/
- 15. Campaigns Your contributions to communications campaigns raise awareness among critical audiences (donors and the scientific community) about your work, as well as recognizing peers and partners' contributions, helping to strengthen these essential collaborations and making your work more effective. Part of what we’re trying to do with engagement is show donors that we see them as more than an ATM
- 16. Successful campaigns Can sub-Saharan Africa feed itself? PNAS paper with CIMMYT author Kindie Tesfaye, SEP Researcher, turned into a press release and shared with press list. Wageningen sent it to Eurekalert, story became picked up by at least 50 media channels and high # of hits
- 17. MAIZE-CIMMYT-CCAFS campaign in Zimbabwe • Based on two components: 1/ Current warming will reduce yields unless maize breeding and seed systems adapt immediately Nature and Climate Change 2/ CIMMYT’s work to develop and disseminate heat-tolerant maize varieties in Southern Africa (particularly Zimbabwe) based on early use of climate models to determine future breeding environments. Varieties in huge demand by seed companies in Southern Africa Target audience, press release on sc. paper, messages, field trip in Zimbabwe with journalists and CIMMYT Zim team over 50 articles, and continuing
- 18. “Secret Scientists” Campaign • Shared photos and stories from MAIZE publication “Photos of women working with maize in Mexico” • Part of global conversation around the International Day of Rural Women 2015 • Shared via blog posts, press release and social media, picked up by Reuters
- 19. Why engage in social media?
- 20. Social media Public conversations Public figures Joint campaigning Donor recognition Donor engagement
- 21. Value Added by Communications Excel chart of varieties released by MAIZE and partners, 2015
- 22. Value Added by Communications Map of varieties released by MAIZE and partners, 2015
- 23. Challenges • Getting information back from partners • Consistent branding • Geography! (and Opportunities) ?
- 24. The Way Forward… Communications in Phase II Issues • MAIZE Agri-food system, messaging around AFS • Climate change, research on diseases (MLN info portal) • Nutrition biofortification, balanced diets, MAIZE? • Capacity development online training • YOUR messages ….
- 25. Improving synergies with other CRPs • Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security • Agriculture for Nutrition and Health • Policies, Institutions, and Markets • … Establishing strong linkages • Excellence in Breeding Platform • Big Data Platform Cross-CRP collaboration & Platforms
- 26. The Way Forward… Communications in Phase II How are we going to communicate about this? • Annual report • Newsletter • Updated MAIZE website (in progress) • CIMMYT/IITA websites • Publications • Social media • Campaigns • Infographics, maps, videos, … • Cross CRP-collaborations And to do this, we need your help…
- 27. www.MAIZE.org Bianca Beks Communications Officer CGIAR Research Program on Maize Email: b.beks@cgiar.org Skype: biancabeks Jennifer Johnson Communications Consultant CGIAR Research Program on Maize Email: j.a.johnson@cigar.org Skype: jenn.393 Please Contact Us!
Editor's Notes
- Document success: e.g. MLN, gender, DTMA, CSISA, SIMLESA, MasAgro, AIP, SARD-SC through different channels (Newsletter, campaigns, books, website, social media) Promote: CGIAR, other CRPs, GENNOVATE, through apps (e.g. Slate), interactive maps Engage: e.g. lines released are announced on website, video promoting work between KIT and MAIZE, NGOs: Total Land care, One Acre Fund Provide support for: FARA 2013, CGIAR Dev dialogues
- Partnerships are crucial to the success of MAIZE, and form a main component of our communication objectives. MAIZE communications works to highlight the success of partners and our joint work across diverse mediums such as the MAIZE website, newsletter and social media. This allows MAIZE to join and contribute to a broader conversation about international agricultural research for development. Successful partnerships: IPNI, CCAFS, DuPont Pioneer, (NARS- Crop Breeding Institute of Zimbabwe, KALRO), KIT, USDA (Agricultural Research Service of USDA University of Arizona), Total Land Care, Seed Companies--Bidasem
- – MAIZE communications uses these mediums to communicate and interact with our partners, stakeholders and all interested in MAIZE.
- Social media- Post and share content with/from other CRPs, CG Centers and partners
- Content developed by MAIZE communications has been widely shared by partners and global media outlets. Here are a few examples:
- This is only the final impact
- Highlights In the early 1990s, UNDP began funding research on a methodology to breed resilient maize for farmers in drought-prone tropical areas. Scientists at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) selected maize lines that survive and yield grain under controlled drought or low soil nitrogen on experimental plots. The Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project was responsible for the development and release of more than 200 drought-tolerant varieties. Additional funding for this work was provided by: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (GTZ); Howard G. Buffett Foundation; International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA); Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); UK Department for International Development; US Agency for International Development (USAID).
- MAIZE communications has long provided support for the cross-CRP GENNOVATE initiative, closely covering research developments and publishing annual report articles, blog posts, newsletter and social media updates.
- Not just for KPIs or CIMMYT News stories!
- Paper accepted in PNAS, CIMMYT author Kindie Tesfaye in SEP (approved in Nov 2016/to be published in Dec 2016/submitted in June 2016) Can sub-Saharan Africa feed itself? Alerted by Dil Rahut, we do a press release Please see a press release on the study "Can Sub-Saharan Africa Feed Itself?” which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of December 12. It is co-authored by Wageningen University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and multiple CGIAR centers, regional and national Institutions in Africa. Kindie Tesfaye from CIMMYT is co-author. We cannot have that success everytime with a story, but this is potentially what can happen if we get ahead of the publication release and collaborate with our wealthier partners who may have capacity to promote via eurekalert etc. public likes science!
- investment in accelerating the adaptation of maize breeding and seed systems to climate change is needed a new report finds. A. J. Challinor, A.-K Koehler, J. Ramirez-Villegas, S. Whitfield and B. Das Paper calls for an acceleration of breeding, delivery and adoption processes. The authors suggest that all stages could be sped up using a variety of techniques, requiring elaborate planning and coordination involving numerous actors and interest groups. CIMMYT has undertaken other work in this area. An intensive breeding effort through the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project developed a large phenotyping network and breeding pipeline to produce new maize varieties with heat and drought tolerance. In collaboration with over 100 national seed companies, the project supported the production of 54,000 tons of drought-tolerant maize in 2014 alone, benefiting an estimated 5.4 million households – or 43 million people – across 13 countries in Africa. In 2015, a new project was started to expand the success of DTMA so that more smallholder farmers in Africa would have access to affordable improved maize varieties through a network of national seed companies. Target audience: global donor community, policy makers in Southern Africa, seed companies, science community
- Campaign to raise awareness of the important roles women play at all levels of the maize and agricultural value chain.
- Everyone sharing everything everywhere! It is about seeking out a conversation with people who speak the same language. It is about making our content visible. Going from joining the ag conversation to be part of the conversation and have a two way conversation with a donor
- This slide shows how our integrated process has been transformative – media shared on social has put Twitter engagement through the roof (engagement more important than audience or likes) We get some web traffic, but we see evidence that social media is also an important platform itself It is important to have media to enhance spread of information through social media. 187% more engagement than last year (e.g. July 4000 engagements, people retweeting etc) Clicks from social media to CIMMYT.org have increased from 510/month to 1060/month since last year
- Communications uses graphics, blog posts and other images to translate the importance and impact of MAIZE science and research for the broader public.
- Consistent branding—ensuring that partners and media are aware of how to properly refer to and describe MAIZE. Geography! Being in Mexico we are a bit far from all of the incredible work being done here in Africa, but we are determined to not let that be an obstacle to developing great communications products with our colleagues and partners around the world. This means that it is extremely important that you stay in contact with our MAIZE communications team and let them know when you have a new publication or interesting story idea.
- “Time to feed people is over, we need to give them better nutrition” but people still need their basic food!