IGAD region Reporting competition : Transboundary Pests threat to food security and livelihoods

Introduction

Transboundary pests pose a significant threat to food security, livelihoods, and economic development in the IGAD region. Effective management of these pests requires a comprehensive approach, including robust public awareness and engagement. Journalists play a crucial role in disseminating information about pest invasions, control measures, and their impact on communities. To enhance the quality of reporting on this critical issue and to recognize outstanding journalism, we are launching a campaign to to encourage journalists from the region to cover this beat.

Competition Objectives

• To raise awareness among the public about the challenges posed by transboundary pests in the IGAD region.
• To promote investigative and in-depth reporting on transboundary pest issues.
• To recognize and reward excellence in journalism on this topic.
• To strengthen the capacity of journalists to report on complex agricultural and environmental issues.

Target Audience

• Journalists from IGAD Member States.
• Media houses in the IGAD region.
• Policymakers, researchers, and development partners working on agriculture and environmental issues.

Competition Theme

“Transboundary Pests: A Threat to Our Food Security and Livelihoods”

Journalists are encouraged to submit entries that:

• Investigate the causes and consequences of transboundary pest invasions in the region.
• Explore the impact of these pests on farmers, pastoralists, and other vulnerable groups.
• Highlight successful strategies for pest control and management.
• Identify gaps in knowledge and policy on transboundary pest management.
• Promote regional cooperation in addressing the issue.

Competition Categories

• Print/digital (online) : News articles, features, and investigative reports, news packages, and data visualizations.
• Television: Multimedia reports, documentaries, news packages, and data visualizations.
• Broadcast: Reports, documentaries, and news packages.

Eligibility

• Journalists working for media houses based in IGAD Member States.
• Entries must be original works produced within the specified competition period (September – November 2024).
• Entries must focus on transboundary pest issues within the IGAD region.

Competition Timeline

Submit your article to communication@icpac.net with 'Reporting Competition on Transboundary Pests' as the subject of the email with a copy to emebet.jigssa@igad.int

Submission deadline is January 31st, 2024 5:00 pm.

Judging Criteria

Entries will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Accuracy and depth of information.
• Impact and relevance of the story.
• Originality and creativity.
• Writing/presentation quality.
• Adherence to journalistic ethics.