By Jasper Andrews|National Correspondent
Green life West Africa, The Nature Compact, partners in Development and Eddie Theater Production Friday August 19, 2022 ended a two day intensive media training for effective communication on the forestry sector of Liberia.
The training is part of the Liberia Forest Sector Project (LFSP) communication and stakeholders engagement in collaboration with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) funded by the Norwegian governemnt.
The journalist were trained to report on the forest sector, climate change and challenges face by the forest sector and at the same time know various ways to create awareness and educate and communicate the benefits of Forest and other natural resources in Liberia.
The training was facilitated by some senior stakeholders in the forestry sector including Saah A. David Jr. National Coordinator (LFSP/ RIU-FDA), Mr. Elijah Z. Whapoe, REED+ focal point EPA, Daniel Nya-konah, Vice president Press Union of Liberia and Johnson Willabo, Asst Minister, Ministry of Mines and Energy amongst others.
In his remark, the Vice president of Press Union of Liberia Mr, Nya-konah admonished journalists at the training to be focus serious in reporting about the forest. Mr. Nya-konah added the the journalism profession is a field of diversity where one can choose to specialize in a particular area and encourage journalists to specialize in a particular field instead of just be focus on the politics of the day.
According to him Liberian journalists that are based in the urban area do not win many awards from the Press Union because many don’t report other stories of human interest apart of the daily politics in Monrovia.
However, Forestry Development Authority Managing Director C. Mike Doryen has said He said plans are underway to provide short-term
specialized traing for media practioners so as to better understand and adequately report issues coming from the forestry sector.
According to him many journalists donot understand the forestry language as a result the correct information is not carried out in the public.
Doryen said journalists remain key partner to the forestry sector as the country gradually draws closer to result-based payment for its Forest carbon.
Liberia is still in the preparatory stage for result- based carbonstock payment inline with Reducing Emission From Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+ ) framework and guild lines.
The FDA Manager Director told the participants that some of the misinformation being reported by journalists is due to the lack of capacity to understand workings of the forestry sector and at the same time promised to ensure that the narrative is changed.
The two day workshop was held under the theme:”Strengthening media Partnership for increased awesomeness on sustainable forest Management and effective communication of the benefits of REDD+”.
