The recently launched report on the World Congress on Communication for Development (WCCD, 2007) provides a salient reminder that communication is integral to development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and that it should be embedded in all poverty reduction strategies at all levels.

Research underpins the practice of international development, and is after all, the basis upon which most policy decisions are made. But research will not bring about change in the lives of poor people unless it is communicated in an appropriate and effective way. Studies suggest that the better the communication of research, the better the uptake and use of research outputs (DIFD, 2007). Given the power of communication as a development strategy, it is imperative that researchers and policymakers continually reflect on and improve their communication activities.

In the field of food security, rural development and livelihood strategies, the WCCD report points to some key communication issues worthy of reflection. For example: communication is a two-way process not a uni-linear one; partnerships and the links between key players are very important; communication needs to be relevant and accessible; and communication should be built into all sustainable development initiatives from the start.

Communication is two-way. In her "Communication Toolkit for Researchers and Civil Society Organizations", Ingie Hovland (2005) stresses that we don't necessarily need more communication, we need better communication. She encourages researchers to ask the question, 'Why communicate?' Clearly, the answer is to inform and inspire development policy and practice. But this is not the only reason. Communication is a process that should benefit both the recipient and the sender. It is not just 'teaching others'. Rather than linear and vertical, it is a horizontal dialogue in which listening is a key factor. It is through this interactive process that field input to research projects can be established. This in turn leads to local involvement and ownership, and improves the likelihood that research outcomes will be taken up by end users.

Forging links, partnerships and coalitions between the main players in the development sphere is a key way to strengthen this horizontal communication. In essence this sphere is a network or a web with many interlinked nodes. Researchers and policymakers are just two such nodes; others include donors, extensionists, end users, knowledge intermediaries, and local governments. Effective communication for better development results requires all of the links in this network to be strategically stimulated and strengthened.

Part of this process involves making communication relevant and accessible. Researchers want their research results to be taken up and used in a way that benefits poor people. So, thought needs to be given to making communication " both messages and means " as appropriate and well tailored as possible. For example, the burgeoning opportunities for e-mail, e-learning, e-news, etc. are worthy, inexpensive alternative communication tools; but it is also important to consider the 'e-divide'. It is a sobering reminder that only 17 per cent of the world's people are Internet users (ITU, 2007).

At a national and local level, many rural development plans have very little in the way of communication components (FAO, 2006). Yet it makes good sense that communication should be built into all development activities from the outset. This applies equally to large international initiatives and small local projects. Research projects are no exception. At the very least, each research project and programme should have a communication plan. Who will you communicate with? Why? When? How? The UK's Department for International Development regards communication so highly that it insists 10 per cent of its allocated research funds is spent on communication activities (DFID, 2007). For other organizations the figure is higher.

How thorough is communication in your projects? Questions we ask at CAPSA include: does the project have (a) a communications strategy and a statement of communication objectives; (b) clarity about the target audiences; (c) an understanding of the communication channels your target audiences might use; (d) a brainstormed list of relevant communication activities; (e) time and money budgets for your communication activities; and (f) an evaluation system to check whether you have met your communication objectives?

In the pursuit of poverty alleviation and improving rural livelihoods, it is important to make sure all the tools at one's disposal are optimally employed. In this rapidly changing world, the importance of communication cannot be underscored too heavily.

Written by Geoff Thompson, Associate Information and Communications Officer, UNESCAP-CAPSA, Bogor, Indonesia.

(References available upon request)