The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB)-Ghana Chapter 2023 Media Awards has been launched in Accra.
The sixth OFAB Annual Media Awards calls for entries from journalists reporting on sustainable agricultural biotechnology.
Dr Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw, a Senior Research Scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI) and OFAB Ghana Coordinator, performing the launch said articles submitted for consideration should have been published from June 2022 to the date of submission – August 30, 2023.
“Submission of entries from Journalists is 27th June to 30th August 2023,” he said.
He noted that publications that were done from the period 1st June 2022 to 30th August 2023 were eligible for entry.
OFAB is a partnership platform that contributes to the creation of an enabling environment for biotechnology research, development, and deployment for the benefit of smallholder farmers in Africa.
Driven by a vision of sustainable food security and agriculture-driven economic development in Africa, OFAB enhances knowledge and awareness on agricultural biotechnology to build an understanding of the technology and inform decision-making.
Established by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in 2006, OFAB operates in ten countries: Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Dr Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw said the OFAB Media Awards was initiated to promote excellence in science journalism and appreciate the contribution of journalists in promoting sustainable agricultural technologies, particularly agricultural biotechnology, and reward the critical roles played by journalists in promoting constructive dialogue on modern biotechnology through responsible, professional, ethical, and effective reporting.
He said the culmination of the Award was the OFAB Africa Media Awards contest that brings together OFAB country-level finalists from which the overall winners are selected.
The Coordinator said the call would culminate in celebrating and awarding three winning journalists in the categories of: Television, Radio and Print and Online.
Touching on eligibility, Dr Ampadu-Ameyaw said Ghanaian journalists who had been reporting on agricultural biotechnology in their country.
He said categories for the award would be
Print and Online (Newspapers, Magazine and Online), Radio (Audio or podcast) and
Television.
He reiterated that previous award winners would be ineligible to participate in this year’s competition; stating that runner-ups from previous years were eligible to participate.
Concerning scoring in Awards, Dr Ampadu-Ameyaw said an independent judging committee would select the winning entries based on scientific accuracy, initiative, originality, clarity of interpretation, value in fostering a better public understanding of agricultural biotechnology and its impact in the society
With regards to prizes, he said each category would produce a category winner and a runner-up.
The Coordinator said the winners of each category would be eligible to participate in OFAB Africa Media Wards scheduled for the end of the year in the country to be announced.
Mr Enoch Ilori, the Project Officer for OFAB, said application must include a brief synopsis (about 150 words) of the stories submitted (maximum three for each category), about 150-word professional biography and a brief 200-word piece explaining the motivation for each story submitted.
Others are digital passport-size photograph and a copy of national ID/Passport, and evidence of Media Accreditation/Membership of a National Media Association.
On submission modalities, Mr Ilori said journalists were encouraged to submit entries by sending entries to ofabghana@outlook.com
He said Links or URLs (active links) to published articles should be added to the documents submitted.
He said any online links (active links) to TV and Radio stories should be added to the application.
