AVS is a unique experiment in conflict-zone podcasting, designed to impact food security and livelihoods in Syria by facilitating knowledge transfer on agricultural innovation, practices and technologies from Syrian agricultural experts in Syria and in exile to farmers in Northwest Syria.
The first 15 podcast episodes were produced and disseminated to more than 1000 farmers, who also took part in a follow-on evaluation survey, providing positive insights into how farmers use social media, the value of the content, ideas for new topics and farmers’ broader expectations for the series.
The project findings were shared during the online workshop held on 28 July 2021 and informed discussion on future AVS developments.
The project partners delivered four presentations, followed by discussions with the audience.
1. AVS, an interdisciplinary and impact-oriented project, Dr Mirela Barbu, University of Sussex, Principal Investigator
2. Agricultural knowledge-transfer: Tapping into Syrian expertise, Kate Robertson, Cara (Council for At-Risk Academics)
3. Podcasting, an innovative social media for development, Dr Martin Spinelli, University of Sussex, Co-Investigator
4. AVS, a tool for knowledge exchange in agricultural extension services: challenges, opportunities and future developments, Dr Shaher Abdullateef, Academic Center for Development and Peace Studies – Syrian Academic Expertise (ACDP-SAE)