Training and Workshops

Producing Food Security Information Products that Result in Action
General Overview of the Training

“I especially liked the course because it helped improve my day-to-day work and produce reports that are more credible and useful to decision makers“ - training participant from Mozambique

> Background > What are FSIPs? > Training Objectives > Approach > Learning Objectives

> Target Audience > Country Experiences > Other Experiences > Feedback and Assessment > Contacts

Background

The training was developed by the EC-FAO Programme in collaboration with the Distance Learning Programme and support from the FAO-FIVIMS Programme. It is highly relevant to the Programme's theme: “Information for Action.” Its training aims at increasing the use and impact of information on decision making. It does this by assisting national institutions and partner organizations in improving existing food security information products (FSIPs).


What are Food Security Information Products (FSIPs)?

FSIPs are tangible materials that provide information on food security with the objective of supporting policies and programmes. They include reports, bulletins, newsletters, websites, press and web releases, PowerPoint presentations and maps.

What aspects of FSIPs does the training focus on? - Design, content, structure, writing - Production processes: coordination, dissemination, communication

Training Objectives

The objectives of the training are to:

- strengthen national capacity in producing relevant, credible and accessible food security information products (FSIPs) that support decision-making; and

- produce a Plan of Action for producing FSIPs that effectively and efficiently support the design, planning, implementation and targeting of food security policies and interventions.

Key features of the training : - Concrete and practical : focuses on existing FSIPs - Tailored to country needs : content, methods and processes are adapted to each country's food security situation and information needs - Participation of selected decision-makers who interact with participants - Forward looking : guides participants in the preparation of an Action Plan - Jointly organised with key national food security institutions

Approach

The training is designed to ensure sustainable results by:

- Raising participants' awareness of key national stakeholders of the importance of producing FSIPs that support decision-making;

- Building consensus and ownership on priorities to be addressed for improving FSIPs;

- Fostering collaboration and networking between institutions at central and decentralized levels;

- Promoting dialogue and networking among and between decision-makers and food security analysts.

Learning Objectives

The training provides participants with the skills and knowledge to:

- Identify primary and secondary user groups for each FSIP and understand the information needs of key target audiences;

- Assess the performance of existing FSIPs in an “Information for Action” perspective. This includes identifying and discussing factors that condition the use of information.

- Promote effective processes for producing FSIPs (communication between food security analysts and decision-makers, coordination and dissemination activities);

- Improve the structure and readability of FSIPs;

- Identify country-specific priorities for producing FSIPs that support decision-making.

Target Audience

The training is designed for professionals from national and partner institutions, working at central and decentralized levels in various fields of expertise related to food security, including agronomy, statistics, nutrition, social and economic sciences. Participants are selected from practitioners involved in the preparation of FSIPs on a regular basis or expected to be involved in the preparation of FSIPs soon after the training.

Selected decision makers are invited to the training to present their information needs and make recommendations to participants for improving their products.

Country Experiences

The training has been successfully delivered in:
> Cambodia 9-12 October 2006
> Mozambique 27 November–1 December 2006
> Cape Verde 23-27 April 2007
> Burkina Faso 11-15 June 2007
> Haiti 26 - 30 November 2007

Other Experiences

> South Africa 25 February - 7 March 2008
  - Read the article: " From the WWW to the Classroom"

Feedback and Assessment

End-of-training evaluations show that the majority of participants highly valued the training and found it relevant for their work. Their suggestions for improvement are successively incorporated into new training events. The impact of the training will be assessed by March 2008 in five countries. National institutions that jointly organized the training will be involved.

Contacts

Françoise Trine
Food Security Analyst
Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA), FAO francoise.trine@fao.org
Tel: + 39 06 57054239

Cristina Lopriore
Training and Liaison Officer
Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA), FAO
cristina.lopriore@fao.org
Tel: + 39 06 57056195