"The AgMIP methodology is diagnostic, making it strategic in development planning. Modelling what is unknown and unseen into possible scenarios is helpful in preparing the agricultural sector to respond to both the positive and negative impacts of a changing climate."
The benefits of science research and effective policies are not widely understood because they are not well communicated.
Science research and policy advocacy are technical and complex but relevant and beneficial for development. As a journalist, I realise the importance of effective communication of research outputs and more importantly, in a manner that enhances understanding and cements the relevance of science research in informing policy and decision making. If science research messages are well communicated, policy makers are better engaged and spurred to action effective policies to support agriculture development, specifically how Zimbabwe responds the impacts of climate change.
The AgMIP RIA assessment tools give future insights on the state of farming systems on the back of the changing climate providing a trigger for informed remedial action. The tools build scenarios (changes in temperature and precipitation, crop production, soil fertility, crop and livestock management) to show farming systems in the present and the future through the assessment of climate change impacts.
Collaborative research fosters evidence-based polices responsive to the needs of farmers. This ensures that there is no reliance on ‘common knowledge’ in policy development and implementation. The AgMIP methodology is diagnostic, making it strategic in development planning. By modelling what is unknown and unseen into possible scenarios is helpful in preparing the agriculture sector to respond to both the positive and negative impacts of a changing climate. I see the role of science communication in unpacking and documenting the AgMIP outputs through science news articles, features articles, blogs and interactive infographics to aid understanding about the tool and how it can complement national adaptation initiatives and support climate change policy implementation.
During the engagement process to promote and understand the tool, a most important lesson for me was the impact of simple communication in targeting policy makers. The need for research outputs to be effectively communicated starts with multi-stakeholder consultations. By bringing together a multiplicity of actors (farmers, policy makers, government, private sector, non-state actors, researchers) the tool enables the development of informed, robust policies for the benefit of the agriculture sector.
Research processes must be collaborative and participatory. Researchers are knowledgeable in their area of expertise but there is a gap in the public access to their research outputs. Research, including the development them better articulating their findings to the ‘common man’. A barrier is the disintegrated approach to disseminating research evidence and engaging policy makers and advocates.
Furthermore, research outputs must be communicated in lay man’s terms. It is said if you can tell your grandmother what climate change means then you have made your message clear. Speak the common language. There is scope to capacitate the media on research and policy collaboration so that they can tell the story. Technical issues need to be broken down into simple knowledge products that will aid public understanding and awareness on research outputs.
Media engagement through facilitated training is one idea. Science research is important for the development of society and economic growth. It is fundamental in the development of health, environmental protection and agriculture.
Researchers are convinced the outputs of their work contribute to a better society and therefore it is critical that these outputs are well communicated to the public and more strategically in informing policy development.
I could not have been more prepared to apply the principle of effective communication when I participated in the revision of a policy brief assessing and highlighting the AgMIP tools. I realised the strength of identifying messages in knowledge products for public information and in this case policy advocacy. Policy makers are important actors in the development narrative. Messages aimed at them with the intension of getting them to take policy action on particular issues need to be clear, simple and yet detailed to trigger the desired policy action. We revised the policy brief paying attention to using simple and concise language that speaks to policy makers. This meant eliminating where possible technical scientific terms and were these are used, explaining them for understanding.
This will enable projects like the AgMIP CLARE project to better engage stakeholder and communicate more effectively. Roundtable dialogues between media researchers and policy makers would help in issue engagement and effectively communicating research outputs and policies in this case dealing with climate change adaptation. Organising policy dialogues bringing together the multiplicity of actors, farmers, researchers, policy makers, advocates will help towards informed policy making and appreciation of science research outputs.
Building capacity of all stakeholders in promoting the AgMIP CLARE project results is an important consideration. Researchers can help build the capacity of policy makers and in my case, of the media in understanding the AgMIP tools. There is a gap in the media understanding of research outputs and how policies work. Promoting research/policy collaboration should also entail training the media on the workings of researchers and how policies are developed and adopted. This will help in them articulate the issues succinctly.
The AgMIP tools, results and outputs have offered important insights on future climate scenarios. How do we prepare for the envisioned changes through revising or developing appropriate adaptation policies? For me I believe the next steps from this will include going to the ground to assess how are farmers adapting the current climate change impacts, are our current policy frameworks helping farmers adapt? In addition, I would want to document the engagement processes with farmers/policy makers in the context of the promotion of the AgMIP approach and tools in which modelling has been done.
I would also want to document how current policies are supportive adaptation approaches in Zimbabwe and how the AgMIP approach and tools are providing insights that will inform policy and decision making. This means making a physical trip to Nkayi which is a representative sample site of the study the AgMIP CLARE project has developed.
The research outputs need to be widely promoted and I see my role in adding this dissemination through write articles that are published on various platforms, including the Ministry website showing how research/policy collaboration will advance research informed policy decisions.
Social media outreach can facilitate further dissemination of research outputs. This will benefit the AgMIP CLARE project in sharing information widely to create awareness. More importantly agriculture being a pivotal sector in Zimbabwe’s economy, there is greater need to promote the adoption of proven technologies by farmers to better their production while at the same time raising incomes and improving livelihoods. On the back of government’s grand scale promotion of the Intwasa/Pfumvudza approach which in 2020/2021 season has been attributed to the national bumper crop harvest in maize and small grains.
