The Climate change and forests in the Congo Basin: Synergy between adaptation and mitigation (COBAM) project has been implemented by CIFOR since October 2010, under the African Development Bank (ADB) grant to the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) for financing the Congo Basin Ecosystems Conservation Support Program (PACEBCo).

The overall objective of COBAM is to develop an appropriate reaction to vulnerability stemming from climate change in Congo Basin landscapes, by providing decision makers, practitioners and local communities with the information, analyses and tools needed to design and implement policies and projects for climate change adaptation and the reduction...

The effects of climate change are a threat to food security and human and societal development. These effects include rising sea levels; extreme climate events, such as cyclones, floods and droughts; a proliferation of mosquitoes, the emergence of rare diseases, a reduction in arable land, etc. Despite its low contribution to global warming, Africa is the most vulnerable to its effects (IPCC 2014). This vulnerability is due to communities’ heavy dependence on natural resource-based livelihoods, and limited access to the technologies and infrastructure that allow climate predictions.

Adaptation and mitigation have emerged as two major climate change strategies, but they...

Planning refers to a collection of successive tasks that need to be accomplished in order to achieve a final goal, and in this case the proposed radio program². The path to follow is theoretical. Not only do all steps have to be clear and concise, they must also be visualized in terms of timeframes. It is only by integrating these different aspects that an effective and operational vision can be developed. Good planning helps define the type, format, content and editorial line of a radio program taking into account parameters such as budget, time of implementation, and human and material...

Production refers to the set of tasks and people who help develop the program from its theoretical preparation and planning stage design.

There are two types of production:

The production of live programs. These programs are broadcast only once and include news programs, interactive games with the public, etc.

The production of set or stock programs. These programs are broadcast over a defined period. Stock production includes series, documentaries, reality shows, etc.

Whether it is a live or set program, good production relies on a well-defined team. This team varies depending on whether it is a radio or television program....

Communication on forests and climate change can help highlight the key roles played by forests and aid policy makers in the Congo Basin in making decisions in the interest of the planet and the populace based on the results of reliable research. This communication can take place through the media (i.e. newspapers, radio, television, cinema, Internet, publications and displays), and also through non-media activities (e.g. conferences, workshops, mailing lists, sponsorship, etc.). However, an infinite volume of political, economic, cultural and musical information passes through these channels for the attention of the public. This means communicators from organizations for sustainable development...

In radio communication, a thorough knowledge of the audience helps develop mechanisms to carry out the monitoring of a radio program (Aspinall 1972). Monitoring and evaluation help refine the conceptualization and planning of the dissemination of a radio program according to its objectives. Two approaches are used for evaluation: the quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. These approaches are not opposed, but rather complementary, since they offer different information. They can be applied at different times depending on objectives, including before, during and after the broadcast of a radio program (Pérez-Terán et al. 2014).

This approach helps to determine measurable...

This analysis involved a quasi-experimental survey of a representative sample of our target audience, i.e. rural communities (Pérez-Terán et al. 2014). The aims were to evaluate community understanding of the messages conveyed in the program, the evolution of knowledge among target audiences and the added value of the program on audience understanding. Due to a lack of material resources for carrying out assessments by program and by language, only the Lingala language program was chosen for analysis.

A site was chosen on the basis of the local language, the size of its population and its accessibility. A sample of at...

Scientific information on climate change often uses language that is inaccessible to local communities in the Congo Basin. The radio program initiative was aimed at addressing and improving this situation. This guide is presented in a theoretical manner. It outlines the steps involved in realizing and evaluating a radio program, with practical examples drawn from our experiences producing "Changing Seasons". The aim of the guide is to help establish science-policy dialogues between climate change actors in the region, with special attention paid to local communities.

Production of the program brought together 43 participants from various backgrounds: researchers, academics, civil society,...