A dozen agricultural information issues challenging agricultural journalists now By Jim Evans (Note: This professional development feature is provided through a partnership of IFAJ and the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, University of Illinois.) Some broad and lively issues appear as we gather information, globally, about matters that affect us as agricultural journalists and communicators. Often, such issues operate below the surface of the day-to-day topics we address, skills we apply and tools we use. The broader issues are important, though, and invite serious attention. Here are some current agricultural information issues being addressed in documents we are adding to the ACDC collection. They appear in books, journal articles, research reports, conference papers, commentaries and other materials. And they tend to cluster within five categories: access and control, participation of stakeholders, credibility and trust, content and coverage, and management of agricultural information. You will see that some of the sample documents involve specific countries. However, we find that all of these issues have global features and apply across national boundaries. Copyrights do not permit full-text electronic access to some of the documents identified below. We are providing directions to online, full-text documents where possible. In other cases, please notify us of titles that interest you. We will be pleased to help you further. Issues about access to - and control of - agricultural information Digital divide Sample: "Bridging the information and knowledge gap" Posted at: www.livelihoods.org/post/agri-6-postit.html?em=0606 Sample: "Slipping through the net" Posted at:www.ictportal.org.za/documents/d00024/slipping_through_net_sa_2006.pdf Sample: "ICT challenges for rural Malawi" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Freedom of expression through various media Sample: "81 journalists killed in 2006" Posted at: www.pakistanpressfoundation.org >Freedom of Expression > Attacks on Media > 1/1/2007 Open access to agricultural information Sample: "Open access and open source" Posted at: www.livelihoods.org/post/agri-6-postit.html?em=0606 Issues about full and broad participation Relating scientific knowledge to indigenous knowledge Sample: "Farmers, extension and science - working together" Posted at: www.regional.org.au/au/apen/2006/refereed/3/2920_bramleym.htm Sample: "Local and 'modern' innovations: what interests whom?" Posted at: www.leisa.info > Magazine > Volume 22, Number 3 > Page 28 Grassroots involvement Sample: "Bridging the gaps between researchers' and farmers' realities" Posted at: www.leisa.info > Magazine > Volume 22, Number 3 > Page 6 Sample: "The productivity, environmental and social benefits of increasing producer participation in extension" Posted at:www.regional.org.au/au/apen/2006/refereed/1/2954_trompfjp.htm#topofpage Issues related to credibility and trust Credibility of media and the sources they use Sample: "From trust to trustworthiness: why information is not enough in the food sector" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Issues related to content and coverage Pressures at the editorial/advertising interface Sample: "Who controls the message?" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Sample: "Media bow to corporate masters" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Need for agricultural coverage in urban media Sample: "Who covers the farm story?" Posted at: www.cfwf.ca/farmj/fj%20april2006.pdf > Page 5 Sample: "Report finds lack of news coverage of rural areas" Abstract posted at: www.ijnet.org > IJNet Bulletin Archive > February 2006 Sample: "Perspectives on why cities care about the future of rural governance" Posted at: www.usda.gov/oce > "Search OCE" > Search on this title Covering complex issues related to food and agriculture Sample: "African journalists urged to go beyond biotech scare issues" Posted at: www.absp2.cornell.edu/newsroomarchives/dsply_news_item.cfm?articleid=320 Sample: "Ten years of biotech gaffes: Muddled messages in ag biotech" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Effects on specific audiences Sample: "Eat to live: TV food ads make kids eat" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Dealing with official information Sample: "Sifting through official speak on bird flu" Posted at: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyid=5071792 Issues about managing agricultural information Needs and methods Sample: "Journalism and science: how to erode the idea of knowledge" Contact: Inquire by title at docctr@library.uiuc.edu Sample: "Enabling agriculture: the evolution and promise of agricultural knowledge frameworks" Posted at: www.aiaee.org/2006/papers.htm > Page 580 Sample: "FAO's capacity-building initiatives in accessing, documenting, communicating and managing agricultural information" Posted at: www.livelihoods.org/post/agri-6-postit.html?em=0606 Sample: "Adopting knowledge management into our extension practices" Posted at: www.regional.org.au/au/apen/2006/refereed/6/3141_jamesj.htm#topofpage Do you have thoughts about these issues? Can you provide other examples that illustrate them? What other issues would you add to the list? Please send your observations and ideas to Jim Evans atevansj@uiuc.edu Thank you.   TOP