ICAR-NAARM sensitizes Technical Officers of ICAR on Scientific Communication

A Training Program on, “Communication and Scientific Writing” was held at ICAR- National Academy for Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad during 03^rd-09^th Jan 2018,exclusively for the Technical Officers serving in ICAR. Technical Officers in ICAR play a critical role in assisting the scientists in data collection and analysis. The key step in any research activity is appropriate communication to the right stakeholders. The program aimed at providing a systematic overview of the various dimensions of effective communication of a research ideas (proposal), research results (publications/posters) and impacts (success stories), to the technical officers in ICAR.
Thirteen participants representing ten different ICAR institutions across the country participated in the program. The officers represented National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi; Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi; Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture (DKMA), New Delhi; Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman; Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla; National Dairy Res. Institute, Karnal, Haryana; Directorate of Rapeseed Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan; Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, WB; Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana; National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Ajmer, Rajasthan and Central Institute of Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai.

The participants were sensitized on the significance and strategies for effective communication of research ideas, results and impacts and provided hands-on experience in writing various types of research proposals / reports and their communication through a variety of media.

The programme consisted of a blend of lectures, case analysis, discussions and hand-on exercises. The core content included elements of scientific writing and oral communication; tools and tips for communicating research ideas, results and impacts; writing research proposals, reports, papers, feature / popular articles, success stories; science communication in social media / nettiquettes. The participants were also taken a private media house (Enadu) to expose them to the operations involved in publication and broadcasting houses.

The participants reflected that the program changed their perception about scientific communication for good and improved their confidence in oral and in various forms of written communication. Dr. Srinivasa Rao, Director, ICAR-NAARM, in his concluding remarks stressed that technical officers, who have rich field experience, have a significant role in communicating the research findings of their respective institutions to the farming community and other stakeholders. He encouraged the participants to write popular articles, give radio talks and also associate with the scientists in writing research papers. He assured them continued support from the Academy in their endeavours towards this cause.