Communication for Development

Development is a course of action that marks growth, progress and positive change. The idea of development is to ensure rise in economic level, employment opportunities as well as quality of life without degrading the resources of the environment.

Information is a prerequisite for development. Without the exchange of information, no innovation would be able to spread. If we accept this hypothesis, then information gaps are direct impediment to development and need to be overcome. This may sound simple and straightforward. However in reality, it is one of the hardest challenges faced by people working in the development sector. At the same time, it is not just any kind of information that is required. Information overload is posing to be a problem for development professionals at the global, national and local levels. To be relevant, information needs to be useful, reliable and must be available through an appropriate medium.

Research has been going on for more than a decade at the global level and some promising technologies have been developed for effective communication to all sections of the rural society. Efforts are being made across rural India to ensure correct dissemination of information to people and organisations engaged in the creation of livelihoods, working on maternal and child health care, improving agricultural practices, climate change adaptation etc. Television, community radio, newspapers are the new age technologies used for communication in rural areas. Over the last few years, community radio has become a very effective medium of rural communication. Communication in the local dialect by people from the local communities on issues affecting them are some of the reasons for the success of community radios across rural India. Traditional technologies for rural communication which include folk art and folk plays have disadvantages of limited outreach. But in some cases, these technologies prove to be very effective and relevant.

In the present scenario of penetrated mobile reach in rural India, app-based information dissemination platforms are emerging as crucial assets for resource efficient, rural communication. Large sections of the population are accessing these app-based agricultural information platforms. Further, different state agencies and NGOs have started their respective Toll-Free Helpline Numbers for farmers where farmers can access real time information about seeds, soil health, market rates etc. These communication platforms for Natural Resource Management and agriculture are resource efficient as they cater to the needs of large farmer groups.

In a nutshell, efficient communication methods are essential for securing livelihoods at scale; disseminating information regarding health, education and other socially relevant themes; promoting effective natural resource management in the form of water saving, improved agricultural practices, climate resilient faming etc. ■

Chandan Mishra
ckmishra1@devalt.org