Effective communication with the rural poor, executive summary

IN THIS STUDY, 123 PERSONS FROM INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND UNIVERSITY COMMUNITIES WERE INTERVIEWED, AND IT IS CONCLUDED THAT PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION COMPONENT IS NECESSARY FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO AFFECT THE PRACTICES OF POORER SECTORS OF RURAL POPULATIONS. THE GREATEST PROBLEM IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN THE LACK OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY LOCAL PEOPLE; DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS MOST LIKELY TO AFFECT THE HEALTH OR AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES OF THE RURAL POOR ARE LOCAL, FLEXIBLE, ACTION-ORIENTED, AND PARTICIPATORY, AND THEY ARE BASED ON AN UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL CULTURE. STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES FOR EFFECTIVE USE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES ARE DISCUSSED AS THEY RELATE TO KEY AREAS FOR ASSISTANCE OR SUPPORT TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THESE ARE: THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, INSTITUTION BUILDING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPING A SYSTEM FOR STORING AND RETRIEVING INFORMATION ABOUT RURAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTED COMMUNICATIONS. THE DETAILED STUDIES ARE PRESENTED IN VOLUME I; "A KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR ACTION", AND VOLUME II: "AN ACTION FOCUS." THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE USEFUL FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNERS IN HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND AGRICULTURE.