Science reporting: training journalists of Francophone West (Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo)
The media have the potential to play a major role in raising awareness about environmental problems and in particular in educating the public about climate change. Doing so can help change attitudes and behaviour, such as the irresponsible dumping of toxic waste, which can help mitigate the effects of climate change.
In order for journalists to be able to fulfil this role, they must be familiar with the problems and able to present them in an understandable and interesting way. This is not the case in francophone Africa, where environmental issues are generally not valued (for various reasons including a lack of scientific knowledge and newsroom competition) and when such issues are covered, they are poorly presented.
Consequently, training is needed. A course will be conducted to build the capacity of journalists in properly handling environmental information so that they will produce a greater quantity of articles and quality programmes on environmental issues and climate change. This course is part of the Benin Association of Science journalists and communicators (AJCSB) programme, within which AJCSB is involved in capacity building for the better treatment of scientific and technical information in Francophone Africa.
UNESCO contracted AJCSB to implement the project. A training workshop was held on 10 to 12 November 2014 at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) outside the town of Cotonou. The opening ceremony was chaired by the Director of the Cabinet, Ministry of Environment on behalf of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Communication. There were 22 participants from four West African Countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo. The first day focused on presentations on climate change and its impact on the environment. It served also to introduce the journalists to their tasks, and help them to produce their first articles to be submitted to the facilitators. The second day was focussed on key challenges and strategies for adaptation to climate change. The third and final day was used to inform the journalists on the best way of producing articles and documentaries on the case studies selected the previous day. In a concluding session, the participants presented their findings and reflected on the lessons learned. They also visited the “Siafatao Site“, located near the Atlantic ocean, to see for themselves the consequences of erosion and how the Government of Benin is working to stop it. Feedback on the workshop was very positive, from both the key partners (Ministry of Environment & Communication, IITA and Association of Science journalists) and the participants. The objectives of the workshop were fully met.