Experiences of Ghana in CA Communication and Publicity

1. Regional Roundtable on
World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020
Nairobi, Kenya, 18-22 September 2017
Experiences of Ghana in CA
Communication and Publicity
Technical Session 18
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Francis Dzah
Head, Agricultural and Environmental Statistics
Ghana Statistical Service
f.dzah2002@gmail.com

2. Outline
 Brief on the Ghana Census of Agriculture 2016 -2019
 Why the need for a Communication Strategy/Plan
 Institution of a sub-committee for Communication
and Education
 Recruitment of a Communication Expert and
activities
 Baseline survey and findings.
 Publicity and education materials
 Other publicity and educational activities
• Conclusions
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3. Brief on the Ghana Census of
Agriculture 2016 -2019
 Preparations for the next Ghana Census of Agriculture (GCA) 2016-2019 under
World Censuses of Agriculture (WCA) 2020 started in January 2016
 An earlier attempt at implementing GCA under World Census of Agriculture
2010 (WCA 2010) with TCP support from FAO for preparatory activities was not
successful due to lack of funds
 Documents prepared for WCA 2010 including Project Proposal and Instruments
have been revised in line with the FAO recommendations for WCA 2020.
 Pilot of Census of agriculture was conducted from 4th – 10th April 2017 and
Evaluation report of the field data collection were used as inputs to revise field
methodology and questionnaires.
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4. Why the need for a Communication
Strategy/Plan
 The last GCA was conducted in 1985 i.e 32
years ago
 Many of the residents do not know what a
Census of Agriculture is.
 The need to publicise and educate the
residents, particularly the agriculture holders
most of whom cannot read and write.
 The need to produce quality data for the
purposes of planning and research.
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5. Institution of a sub-committee for
Communication and Education
 Five institutional structures have been established to
facilitate the smooth running of the CA. These are:
 The National Steering Committee;
 The Technical Advisory Committee;
 The National Bureau or the Secretariat;
 The Regional Management Teams; and
 the District Management Teams
• The Secretariat has 6 sub–committees to facilitate all
aspects of organisation including the Communication
and Education. 5

6. Recruitment of a Communication
Expert and activities
 An FAO communication expert was engaged
to advise and support operations.
 The following activities have been
undertaken with support of the expert:
 conduct of abase line survey
 preparation of a communication
strategy/plan
 preparation of communication materials
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7. Baseline survey and findings
 As a prelude to the development of a communication
strategy, a baseline survey was carried out in 17 selected
communities across the country in four ecological zones –
coastal, forest, transitional and savannah.
 The objective was investigate the most appropriate modes
of communication, and to capture inventory of
communication assets – road network, telephony, media
coverage, etc.
 The most effective mode of communication across
ecological zones and in towns and villages was identified
as community engagement.
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8. Baseline survey and findings cont’d
 A hybrid form of indigenous and mainstream
channels for information dissemination christened
‘information centre’ is very effective.
 Information dissemination through community
leaders is very dependable and effective.
 Radio and Television, both public and private,
combine to give national coverage.
 Information, Education and Communication
materials such as posters and T-shirts where
formal education and literacy is low comes in
handy.
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9. Publicity and education materials
 The following publicity and educational
materials were produced:
 jingles in English and seven local languages
 brochure, which provides answers to FAQs
 stickers provides messages in pictorial form
on main activities
 posters, also conveys messages in pictorial
form with information from the partners on
the project.
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10. Other publicity and educational
activities
 The following publicity and educational
activities will be conducted:
 organise radio and TV talk shows;
 make announcements through - mobile vans;
 make announcement through community
information centres; and undertake press
releases
 meet with community leaders to share the
census of agriculture objectives and
philosophy.
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11. Conclusions
 The CA management has set 12th February,
2018 for the start of field data collection.
 Interviews for recruitment of field staff will
be conducted on 1st October, 2017
 Three levels of Trainings will start on 12th
December, 2017.
 Publicity and education activities will start
December 2017 and will continue until the
end of the exercise in May 2018.
 Would disseminate results at national,
regional and district levels.
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12. Thank you
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