Pakistan’s media has taken a significant step towards raising awareness on pesticide risks and sustainable farming with the launch of the country’s first Agri-journalist forum. It came alongside a series of media interventions and awareness raising activities led by CABI’s PlantwisePlus programme.
The forum aims to strengthen the flow of knowledge on sustainable farming and build the capacity of journalists.
The initiative began in October, 2024 when presidents from four press clubs in Pakistan joined CABI’s Dr Babar Bajwa, Senior Regional Director, Asia to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). These clubs, which represent over 4,500 journalists in Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Muzaffarabad, committed to sharing knowledge on sustainable farming.
Dr Bajwa said: “Journalists play a crucial role in raising awareness of important issues affecting farmers in Pakistan. I am delighted to sign this Memorandum of Understanding and look forward to future collaboration between CABI and press clubs to empower journalists to drive meaningful change in Pakistan.”
PlantwisePlus is a global programme, led by CABI, supporting countries to predict, prevent and prepare for plant health threats amidst a changing climate. This empowers farmers to increase their incomes, improve food security and safety, while reducing biodiversity loss.
Strengthening media engagement
The media plays a vital role in shaping public opinion, sharing knowledge and influencing policies in Pakistan. Although over 60 percent of Pakistan’s population lives in rural areas and works in agriculture, the country’s media remains underrepresented among the country’s media, which includes 80 news and current affairs television channels and over 200 radio stations.
Arshad Ansari, President, Lahore Press Club said: “This is my first interaction with CABI, which has opened up a whole new world of information on sustainable farming and pesticide risks.”
Meanwhile, Wahid Butt, President of the Central Press Club, Muzaffarabad said: “I feel that CABI’s scientific knowledge, especially the biocontrol agents, can bring out a revolution in farming sector and lead to safe farming practices and products.”
Capacity building for journalists
After the MoU, CABI commissioned a study to gauge journalists’ knowledge of pesticide risk reduction, integrated pest management, and related topics. The findings revealed significant knowledge gaps, with 70% of respondents expressing the need for capacity-building opportunities. A lack of training was cited as a key reason for the low frequency of agricultural reporting.
The findings of the study helped to inform the design of a three-day residential orientation for senior journalists on integrated pest management, pesticide risk reduction and gender.
Senior journalists attending the three-day residential orientation run by CABI
Senior journalists attending the three-day residential orientation run by CABI (credit: CABI)
Long-term CABI partners, Arid University and the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, gave expert presentations at the orientation.The participants also visited the Trichogramma mass rearing facility in Marden demonstrated augmentative biological control in action.
In fact, the orientation led to the creation of the Agri-journalist forum. Participating journalists committed to publishing or broadcasting at least one related story every quarter in collaboration with CABI. They also pledged to support their colleagues in engaging with agriculture-focused awareness activities.
“I could never imagine that we can fight harmful insects by raising friendly insects”, said Rabbia Turkman, a social media journalist.
Following this, CABI held four half-day workshops in December 2024 for field reporters and newsroom staff. Like the orientations before them, these sessions, conducted in collaboration with local press clubs, focused pesticide risk reduction, pesticide alternatives, and gender inclusion.
Capitalizing on the media gains
The agri-journalist forum initiative has enhanced media coverage of pesticide risks, sustainable farming, and women’s roles in agriculture. This has been highlighted by more than 13 print and electronic media reports featuring CABI experts.
Looking ahead, media engagement will expand in 2025, further strengthening outreach to farmers via the PlantwisePlus impact pathway.”
The increased media reporting on pesticide risk reduction and sustainable farming will contribute to raising public awareness on these issues and reach farmers with key messages that support safer farming practices.
Additional information
Main image: Dr Babar Bajwa and Wahid Butt, President Central Press Club, Muzaffargar after signing the Memorandum of Understanding.
**PlantwisePlus**gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), Netherlands; European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA, EU); the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), United Kingdom; the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).