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1 Introduction
There is an increasing need to improve sharing and access to project information
among stakeholders as a means to ensure engagement and buy-in in climate change
and agriculture initiatives. In Tanzania, implementation teams are expected to share
results and lessons from the field that will enable utilisation and application of the
knowledge generated, and upscaling of innovations. Communication strategies to
achieve these goals include the National Environmental Education and
Communication Strategy (NEMC 2004); MKUKUTA I&II communication strategy
(URT 2005; URT 2010); Information, Education; the Communication Strategy for
Eastern Arc Mountains (TFCG 2008); communication strategy for International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) project on Climate Change and
Development (Gordon-Maclean et al. 2009); and the National Climate Change
Communication Strategy (URT 2012).
In order for research on forests and climate change to be useful, the results should
be communicated to potential users and should enable stakeholders to access reliable and updated information, including local communities (FAO 2012). The Africa
Adaptation Programme for Tanzania, for example, includes a knowledge management system (UNDP 2010). Through consultations, the processes involved identification of the type of information and media of communication preferred by intended
users. Researchers at The Centre for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED)
studying communication in climate change initiatives point out the importance of
knowing the social identities and affiliations of the target audience as essential for
successful participation (CRED 2009).
A study to examine the role of storytelling revealed that politicians, researchers,
district officers, and communities preferred the storytelling presentation technique
when reporting on climate change initiatives in Tanzania. Co-production of project
information and real characters were also preferred (Mkwizu 2016). Interactively
and collaboratively, storytelling may enable the integration of cultural and livelihood aspects (Denning 2005).
Storytelling presents the opportunity for co-production and sharing of information at all stages of a programme, while at the same time attracting the audience
through entertainment and message delivery. Therefore, the application of storytelling may enhance meaningful engagement of stakeholders, thus improving communication and better realisation of project goals.
2 Conceptual Framework and Storytelling in Projects
Information sharing includes more than physical components. In this chapter, as
proposed by Burnett et al. (2008), we use three elements of information access to
the material: physical access is the written documents, intellectual access involves
Y. B. Mkwizu et al.
1 Introduction
There is an increasing need to improve sharing and access to project information
among stakeholders as a means to ensure engagement and buy-in in climate change
and agriculture initiatives. In Tanzania, implementation teams are expected to share
results and lessons from the field that will enable utilisation and application of the
knowledge generated, and upscaling of innovations. Communication strategies to
achieve these goals include the National Environmental Education and
Communication Strategy (NEMC 2004); MKUKUTA I&II communication strategy
(URT 2005; URT 2010); Information, Education; the Communication Strategy for
Eastern Arc Mountains (TFCG 2008); communication strategy for International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) project on Climate Change and
Development (Gordon-Maclean et al. 2009); and the National Climate Change
Communication Strategy (URT 2012).
In order for research on forests and climate change to be useful, the results should
be communicated to potential users and should enable stakeholders to access reliable and updated information, including local communities (FAO 2012). The Africa
Adaptation Programme for Tanzania, for example, includes a knowledge management system (UNDP 2010). Through consultations, the processes involved identification of the type of information and media of communication preferred by intended
users. Researchers at The Centre for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED)
studying communication in climate change initiatives point out the importance of
knowing the social identities and affiliations of the target audience as essential for
successful participation (CRED 2009).
A study to examine the role of storytelling revealed that politicians, researchers,
district officers, and communities preferred the storytelling presentation technique
when reporting on climate change initiatives in Tanzania. Co-production of project
information and real characters were also preferred (Mkwizu 2016). Interactively
and collaboratively, storytelling may enable the integration of cultural and livelihood aspects (Denning 2005).
Storytelling presents the opportunity for co-production and sharing of information at all stages of a programme, while at the same time attracting the audience
through entertainment and message delivery. Therefore, the application of storytelling may enhance meaningful engagement of stakeholders, thus improving communication and better realisation of project goals.
2 Conceptual Framework and Storytelling in Projects
Information sharing includes more than physical components. In this chapter, as
proposed by Burnett et al. (2008), we use three elements of information access to
the material: physical access is the written documents, intellectual access involves
Y. B. Mkwizu et al.