IPS Africa held a two day workshop on Reporting Desertification for journalists from west Africa (Benin, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali), central Africa (Cameroon) and Kenya. This training workshop was part of a wider programme of work on communicating about rural poverty, supported by IFAD, the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

The training benefited from excellent resource people. Mohamed Sessay, head of the Land Degradation Unit at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi deconstructed the

Rosemary Okello, Boniface Muoka, Jackie Hobbs on an editors panel to discuss challenges of reporting desertification for journalists in Africa.

Michee Boko IPS desertification project editor

Albert Chaibou a journalist from Niger

Mohamed Sessay of UNEP, Farhana Haque Rahman (IFAD), Farai Samhungu (IPS)

UN Convention to Combat Desertification and flagged some very challenging issues for journalists to analyse within the framework of a much broader development agenda.

The power point presentation by UNEP's Svanhild-Isabelle Batta Torheim, titled "UNEP’s experiences in addressing land degradation in Africa" is available here.

Cynthia Owour of the Africa Centre of Technology Studies facilitated a session on the impact of desertification on gender. Boniface Muoka from the Media Council of Kenya looked at ethics in reporting desertification. IPS staff and consultants organising and facilitating the training workshop included Farai Samhungu (IPS Africa Regional Director), Jackie Hobbs (IPS Africa Regional Editor) and Paula Fray (of Paula Fray and Associates)

During the training workshop IPS and IFAD launched an African Journalists Award for reporting desertification. Tom Mshindi, former CEO and Managing Director of the Standard Group gave a compelling keynote address, which is available here. The launch was attended by participants, personalities from national and international media based in Kenya and civil society organisations.

Full details and how to apply for the 2006-2007 African Journalists Award for Reporting Desertification can be found here.