An informal session among media professionals in Samoa this week brought up challenges that journalists face in reporting Agriculture and particularly agribusiness stories.
The session was organized by the Information and Communications Management Land Resources Division Pacific Community and the Intra ACP Agricultural Policy Project.
As a prelude to the 2nd Pacific Agri Business Forum which opened yesterday in Apia, KHJ News Director Monica Miller, at the invitation of the Pacific Community, facilitated the media session in Apia and is attending the Agri Business Forum this week.
The aim of the media session is to increase and improve the reporting of agricultural stories and tell journalists of online repositories now available where they can obtain information to give depth and substance to their stories.
Journalists said information from government sources and experts tend to be technical and there’s little opportunity for follow up questions that would help them understand and report the information in simple language.
Another issue was that some organizations which specialize in agri business control information and tell growers and suppliers not to talk to media unless they give them permission.
Journalists who took part in the session agreed more stories on food and agriculture should appear in their newspapers, radio and television news, and given prominence just like politics, crime and other popular beats.
