Every year considerable research is conducted in research institutions in Nigeria and findings from the research are disseminated through various academic publications. Often these findings only end up in libraries, drawers and the pages of academic journals without being effectively used by policy makers and practitioners in the country. Consequently, the purpose of the research activity in terms of contributing to development strategies is defeated. The wider public also needs to be informed about the outcomes of research in order to understand the benefits accruing to them, their community and the country as a whole.
CPED recognises that the core functions of new knowledge creation (research) and the application of knowledge for development (communication and policy engagement) are key challenges facing sustainable development and poverty reduction in Nigeria where little attention has been paid to the use of knowledge generated in academic institutions. Thus, CPED was created as a way of widening national and regional policy and development debate, provide learning and research opportunities and give visibility to action programs relating to sustainable development and poverty reduction in different parts of Nigeria and beyond. It is in this context that the Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED) has developed communication plan. In its communication strategies,
CPED
- Identifies all key local government, state government, and federal government agencies involved in poverty alleviation or grassroots development in Nigeria.
- Identifies private sector organisations particularly oil companies that have programmes or interested in poverty alleviation in the communities in Nigeria.
- Identifies local, national and international governmental and civil society organisations interested in poverty alleviation activities in Nigeria.
- Identified public, private and civil society organisations.
- Disseminate our research and analysis through multiple channels and formats including reports, policy briefs for policy makers, a revamped website, an improved biannually newsletter largely for policy makers.
- Gets its research published in respected sources and used in policy which will also reveal the quality of our research based on its acceptance for publication in reviewed and respected sources.
- Convene and host workshops and dialogues on socio-economic development issues, especially in the context of grassroots development and Niger Delta development challenges among others.
Goal And Objectives Of CPED Communication And Dissemination Plan
CPED’s communications and dissemination plan is derived from its mission and current strategic plan’s goals and objectives. Without reflecting the strategic plan, the communication and disseminations plan will not have any solid foundation. CPED’s Communication and Dissemination Plan is guided by greater long-term perspective with the main purpose of influencing policy in Nigeria. Thus, the communications and dissemination plan entails articulating strategies that will enhance the role of CPED in influencing policy on socioeconomic development in the country. Traditionally research projects are long and complex, but, as far as possible, the communication objectives should be simple and measurable. It should be noted that communication objectives and activities will probably change over time, as the project evolves and intermediate results are made progressively available. In the early stages, for example, the priority is set on presenting specific projects in order to build awareness rather than seeking for influence. At a later stage, when the pilot applications start to offer results, it will be time to make proposals to policy-makers, or to promote the adoption of certain solutions, standards, etc. to relevant organisations/companies. For this reason, the objectives should be flexible enough to accommodate each situation.
The specific objectives include the following:
- To promote the utilization of CPED’s policy research outputs by various levels of government through effective communication and dissemination of the research results;
- To strengthen the capacity of CPED as an advocacy think tank in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general;
- To empower CPED’s partners and stakeholders, especially at the grassroots level, to participate in the communication and dissemination of research outputs on socioeconomic development in Nigeria;
- To provide a feedback from the communication and dissemination activities into the orientation of policy and action-oriented research on socio-economic development in Nigeria.