Journalists from East Africa Complete Training on Science Reporting

Journalists from East African countries (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) completed a training on science reporting with special focus on agricultural biotechnology. The training which took place from January 11 to 14, 2010 at the International Livestock and Research Institute (ILRI)-Kenya, was a collaborative initiative of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

The training aimed to equip the journalists in the region where the  Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) and Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) projects are operating, with the necessary skills to effectively report on biotechnology. Through lectures, interactions with scientists and fellow colleagues, followed by field visits to local laboratory facilities, the journalists were able to understand the potential of biotechnology to improve livelihoods. They were also exposed to ongoing research by scientists in Africa towards alleviating hunger on the continent through the WEMA and DTMA projects and other locally ongoing research efforts.

"This training has enabled me to understand what genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are", said Joe Ombuor of The Standard Newspaper, Kenya. "It has improved my knowledge on the subject and I perceive that my prior knowledge on GMOs was totally wrong as I used to have a very negative perception about GM crops. I have been equipped with knowledge on biotechnology."  Joshua Kato, New Vision Newspaper, Uganda, added that "As a science writer, I have gained confidence in reporting agricultural biotechnology". All the participants appreciated the opportunity of networking with fellow colleagues and scientists and, overall, they realized that it is possible, not only to report on crop science in a balanced manner, but also to get different story angles on scientific issues.

For more information, contact b.bitta@cgiar.org of AfriCenter. To read one of the articles written by a participant,  check on the following link, available on News Time Africa: http://www.newstimeafrica.com/archives/10313)