Deadline: 31 August 2018

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is seeking applications for its Rural Poverty and Agriculture Programme.

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 specialised UN agency, they will bring together journalists from around Africa to attend this workshop aimed to enable journalist s to tell the story of rural development.  The aim is to build specific expertise and increase familiarity and knowledge of issues faced by rural communities, help journalists to present new viewpoints, promote discussion and dialogue on how small-scale agriculture can respond to the growing demand for food, and the essential need to support rural transformation and smallholder agriculture.

Participants will attend the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Kigali.  They will have the opportunity to attend high level meetings, meet key policy influencers and rural development stakeholders. This should not be seen as a one-off workshop; the foundation expects all journalists who are selected to attend to pursue stories along these issues in their home countries after the workshop.

Benefits

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

Eligibility Criteria

• An opportunity for journalists from across Africa.
• Applicants must be full-time journalists or regular contributors to a media organisation. 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. Facilitators will also speak French.
• Applicants would also like to see professional evidence of their interest in the field of rural peoples’ issues and development.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply online via given website.

For more information, please visit Rural Poverty and Agriculture programme.