Call for Contributions: Radio Scriptwriting Competition - African Farmers' Strategies for Coping with Climate Change (Deadline March 15, 2008)

Dear Equator Net members,

Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN) and the Technical Center for Agricultural Cooperation (CTA) invite African scriptwriters to participate in the “African Farmers’ Strategies for Coping with Climate Change” scriptwriting competition. The competition is open to African radio organizations, including broadcasters, production organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a radio project, and farmers’ associations with a radio show.

Writers are invited to submit a radio script on one of the following themes related to climate change:

§ water and soil management;

§ cropping strategies emphasizing drought-resistant plants;

§ livestock management practices;

§ fisheries and agroforestry; and

§ other original topics related to coping with climate change and not listed above.

To assist radio practitioners with producing the radio scripts, a climate change resource kit, guide to writing radio scripts, and coaching and mentoring on scriptwriting is available through the competition website. Participants can use any of the following script formats: interviews, spots, discussion between two hosts, drama (with different characters), or a story (told by one or two narrators). Examples of the different script formats can be found on the competition website. Participants are encouraged to include an audio file with their script; however, this is not a requirement. Edirol R-09 digital audio recorders will be awarded to the top 15 radio scriptwriters.

Application Information:

The script is to be prepared with input from local people (especially farmers). It must be between 500-2,000 words, include background notes about the topic and production notes for broadcasters. References to information sources used to prepare the script (i.e. farmers, agricultural institutions, NGOs, documents, etc.) must be included. The scripts will be reviewed by an international panel of judges. The top 15 entries will receive high quality digital audio recorders. The winners will be announced in May 2008 and will be profiled on the competition website. The winning scripts will be published and distributed by CTA and DCFRN. All entrants will receive feedback on their scripts.

Entries must be received no later than March 15 2008.

You can find additional information on the competition website: http://scriptcompetition.net/

For further questions, please contact:

Blythe McKay, Development Communication Coordinator, Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN), 1404 Scott Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1Y 4M8, Tel: 613 761 3650, Fax: 613 798 0990, Email to: bmckay@farmradio.org, http://www.farmradio.org/

Sarah Bel, CTA’s Communications Officer, Email to: radio@cta.int, http://www.cta.int/

Warm regards,

Gaby