Reporting Rural Poverty and Agricultural Development

Deadline: 6 January 2020
Open to: full-time journalists or regular contributors to a media organisation
Benefits: air travel expenses (economy class), accommodation, local transfers and meals

Description

Thomson Reuters Foundation works with journalists to show how rural development is a story that matters to everyone, spanning science, climate change, business, politics and social innovation.

In order to ensure the daily issues faced by rural poor people and their communities are acknowledged, it is important that their stories are heard and their voices are amplified.  With funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the specialized UN agency, they will bring together journalists from around the world in Rome to attend IFAD’s event on innovative approaches to inclusive financing for rural transformation.

The 2030 Global Agenda requires the development of innovative approaches to incentivizing sustainable and inclusive investments. Such approaches are about aligning private and public investors around shared sustainable development objectives and mobilizing diverse sources of development finance (including climate finance and private finance), channeling it towards rural investors, including smallholder farmers and rural small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Being at the conference will allow journalists access to high profile delegates, leading experts in the issues, including IFAD and UN technical experts, as well as a number of smallholder farmers who will be invited.

IFAD works with those most affected by poverty, food security, gender inequality, environment, and climate change.

This should not be seen as a one-off workshop; indeed, we would expect all journalists who are selected to attend to pursue stories along these issues in their home countries after the workshop.

Eligibility 

Applicants must be full-time journalists or regular contributors to a media organization. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a commitment to a career in journalism in their country and should have at least two years’ professional experience and have a good level in spoken and written English.

Journalists who cover finance are particularly encouraged to apply.

They would also like to see professional evidence of your interest in the field of rural peoples’ issues and development.

Benefits

Thomson Reuters Foundation, through IFAD funding and support, offers full bursaries for journalists from developing world countries working for established media organizations. Bursaries would include air travel expenses (economy class), accommodation, local transfers, and meals. Please note that you need to check visa requirements and ensure you have the necessary documentation required.  The cost of your visa and any other related costs will be the responsibility of the participant. This arrangement is subject to variation.

How to apply

Please provide the following: Statment explaining your motivation to attend; your CV or biography; and two examples of your work.

For more information, please visit the official website.