Agricultural Research & Extension Network Network Paper No.136 July 2004 ISBN 0 85003 720 4 The Agricultural Research and Extension Network is sponsored by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) The opinions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of DFID. We are happy for this material to be reproduced on a not-for-profit basis. The Network Coordinator would appreciate receiving details of any use of this material in training, research or programme design, implementation or evaluation. Network Coordinator: Robert Tripp Administrative Editor: Alana Coyle COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN THE AGE OF DECENTRALISATION AND PRIVATISATION OF RURAL SERVICES: LESSONS FROM TWO AFRICAN EXPERIENCES Ricardo Ramírez and Wendy Quarry Abstract This paper describes the challenges of decentralisation and privatisation of rural services from the perspective of communication strategy development. The wave of decentralisation and privatisation in rural services worldwide creates challenges for rural communities, service providers and local governments. Local organisations – both in government and civil society – are confronted with rules and procedures that are unprecedented. The new roles require significant changes in attitudes, skills, and especially a new level of accountability. While communication strategies are only a part of the transformation, they are strategic tools that merit attention. This is an account of two cases where the authors have been involved in developing communication strategies aimed specifically at helping stakeholders make this transition. The first is the case of the Communication and Information Strategy for the National Agricultural Advisory Services Programme (NAADS) of Uganda. The second is the formulation of a plan to communicate the National Water Policy (NWP) and Rural Water Transition Plan in Mozambique. The paper concludes with some design principles for other strategies and with a review of the importance of communication research and planning. Research findings • Communication for Development has different, complementary functions – it goes well beyond ‘public relations’. • A communication and information strategy will address human resource development goals, organisational performance and field implementation. Specialised skills in planning and managing the strategies are increasingly important. • Audience research is a basic starting point to learn about what stakeholders already know, what communication channels they can access, and what media combinations respond to those channels. • The development of a communication strategy follows basic design principles that have been distilled from practice. Policy implications • Effective development needs planned communication. • Privatisation and decentralisation of rural services imply fundamental changes in skills, attitudes and relationships; communication strategies can help articulate the transition. • Communication action needs to be research-based and planned. • There are no blueprints to make the transition toward decentralised, demand-driven services, but communication can help develop strategies to identify who needs what, where and how – to a large extent a communication strategy works like a management audit by highlighting challenges and providing solutions. • There is a need for continuity in the staff involved in the formulation of a communication strategy and its implementation – if this is not possible, the tendency is for agencies to tender out the implementation and lose the capacity to manage and adapt a strategy as conditions evolve. Contact details Ricardo Ramírez is Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, CANADA. Tel : 1 519 8244120 x 53986, Fax: 1 519 7671686 , Email : rramirez@uoguelph.ca Wendy Quarry is a freelance consultant based at 4368 Donnelly Drive, Burrits Rapids, Ontario, K0G 1B0, CANADA. Tel : 1 613 2694500, Fax: 1 613 2694388, Email : wquarry@magma.ca