The Regional Forum on RCS for Family Farming in Asia and the Pacific was held last 28 June 2022. The event was attended by ComDev Asia partners from the Food and Agriculture Organization, Digital Green, Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development, Self Employed Women’s Association, as well as representatives from national government agencies.  

The regional forum was meant to provide a platform for the discussion of recommendations for advancing RCS and promote the RCS agenda as part of the UN Decade of Family Farming process in the region. It is also part of a consultative and interactive process that culminates with the UNDFF Forum on Inclusive Rural Communication Services for Family Farming that will happen on 11 July 2022.

As a result of the regional forum, some of the key recommendations drawn are:

• Mapping of availability of, access to, and gaps in communications services for family farmers as part of participatory needs assessment 
• Integration of communication strategies in National Action Plans and Family Farming Policies 
• Evidence collection and policy advocacy to advance RCS, recognizing the role of community media/radio, and obtaining adequate infrastructures and investments for RCS
• Digital literacy capacity building programs
• Co-designing of communication technologies with communities, including RCS materials in local dialects/languages 
• Capacity-building on RCS for agricultural extension workers

To watch the live recording of the event, click here.