An Update on Media Coverage of CGIAR Research

Diverse stories on major research breakthroughs maintain the CGIAR's high media profile

To add further momentum to the CGIAR's collective efforts in media outreach during 2010, the Fund Office and Burness Communications (a private firm with which the CGIAR has a longstanding relationship) organized a 2-day story development workshop, the third such event to be held since 2007. Taking place at the headquarters of Bioversity International near Rome, the workshop brought together a dozen communications professionals from nine Centers plus the Global Forum on Agricultural Research.

In addition to a series of practical skills-building sessions, the program included a stimulating dialogue with three high-profile reporters from major media, who offered a helpful take on the news value of current CGIAR stories, on general media interest in agriculture and on recent trends in print journalism that impinge on the CGIAR's media outreach.

The workshop resulted in about a dozen strong story ideas, three of which have already been developed and promoted with the media; an additional three are now in the works. Following are brief reports on the results of the media outreach done so far in follow-up to the workshop.

A paradigm shift in rice research for Africa

A story promoted in advance of the International Day of Biodiversity on May 22, dealt with recent research at the Africa Rice Center that gives "elite status" to genetically diverse varieties of African rice (Oryza glaberrima) in efforts to raise yields in farmers' fields. The new research counters the widely held view that, African rice, preferred by local consumers for its taste and cultural significance, is inherently lower yielding than Asian rice.

The promotion resulted in stories by several major news agencies (including Associated Press, Reuters and EFE), which led in turn to extensive online coverage on more than 30 news websites, such as CNBC, Forbes and Scientific American Online. In addition, BBC World Service and Voice of America aired stories in French, and a West Africa correspondent for Agence France-Presse visited the Center to interview scientists and farmers.

New wave of interest in wheat stem rust

The ongoing struggle to ward off epidemics resulting from the fast-moving and mutating Ug99 race of the wheat stem rust pathogen continues to hold the attention of major news media around the world. That much was clear from a story promotion carried out in May by the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (coordinated from Cornell University in the USA), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, with support from Burness Communications.

Centering on new findings presented at a technical workshop held in St. Petersburg, Russia, the outreach resulted in major print, radio and online coverage. Highlights included wire service stories in four languages, a piece on the homepage of BBC World Service and articles in print media, such as Le Figaro in France, Die Tageszeitung in Germany and the Financial Times in the UK.

African antidote for aflatoxin

In June, the Fund Office/Burness team supported communications colleagues at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in promoting a story about a novel approach to biological control of the fungus (Aspergillus flavus) producing aflatoxin, which poses a major health and economic problem in Africa. The technology involves releasing local strains of the fungus that do not produce aflatoxin, which then compete with and drastically reduce the poison-producing strains.

This story prompted considerable online coverage as well as a Voice of America story and articles in several major African daily newspapers, such as Kenya's Daily Nation.

A sting operation in Thailand

Classical biological control of the cassava mealybug across sub-Saharan Africa more than two decades ago generated immense economic benefits, while illustrating dramatically why collaborative international research is important. Now, Thai scientists are acting out this drama once more by introducing the same species of parasitic wasp that worked in Africa to subdue a major outbreak of cassava mealybug in their country, with technical advice from IITA and CIAT.

A July story on this new "sting operation" gave rise to widespread coverage in prominent news outlets around the world. Highlights included stories by several news agencies (for example, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press) as well as original stories by the New York Times and Science and New Scientist magazines.