Raymond Voul with Alhassan Issahaku at the launch of the Harmattan Award for Development Journalists
Countrywise Communications Ghana has launched the Harmattan Award to encourage journalists to promote development and agriculture in the Northern Savanna Ecological Zone.
The Harmattan Awards scheme seeks to encourage journalists to develop and renew their interest in reporting about developmental issues and agribusiness to improve the welfare of poor smallholder farmers.
It is aimed at helping to eradicate poverty in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to the Director of Countrywise Communications, Raymond Voul, his outfit would encourage journalists to support the agric sector in general and farmers specifically so as to protect their livelihood.
He indicated that Countrywise Communication would give tablets, phones and certificates to the winners in the first edition of the awards.
The prizes are expected to stimulate the interest of journalists in development reporting especially on issues affecting the agriculture value-chain.
Agricultural mechanization and modernization are paramount in driving growth and eradicating poverty.
The Northern Regional Coordinating Council Director, Alhassan Issahaku, said that Countrywise Communications would encourage more journalists to partner government and other development agencies to boost the agriculture sector through the Harmattan Awards.
He added that the media is the fourth estate of the realm, adding that it was imperative to encourage them to lead the campaign in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially Goal One and Two.
Mr Alhassan Issahaku encouraged the media to effectively publicize the Harmattan Awards for journalists to participate in the award scheme by submitting their work in accordance with the guidelines in order for their work to be evaluated and recognized.
Countrywise Communication is a multimedia corporate organization that promotes agriculture production and rural development in Ghana through the support of NGOs and government institutions.
It documents work using audiovisuals, translates videos into various local languages, uses drama as a tool for awareness creation and screens videos in communities using mobile multimedia tricycle vans.
From Eric Kombat, Nyankpala