Owing to the AfriCenter’s policy engagement and communications (PEC) experience and track record, partners frequently contract the Center to partake communications and policy engagement activities in support of their projects. The PEC support offered by the Center is aimed at creating a facilitative political environment for acceptance and utilization of the eventual project product.
The activities undertaken by the AfriCenter include: outreach to policy makers and media practitioners through seeing-is-believing study tours to the project’s field trial sites in the country; presentations and dissemination of the project’s IEC material to parliamentarians and journalists; capacity building workshops for journalists and scientists on effective science communication, as well as pairing of scientists with journalists to ensure accurate and balanced reporting of the project. Essentially, the AfriCenter develops a communications strategy for the project that serves as a blueprint for the project’s PEC goals.
Currently, the AfriCenter is offering PEC services to various projects key among them: