UNARGA Conference: The New Challenges of Agricultural Journalism
A round table discussion dedicated to the sector press was held as part of Agrilevante, with members of the national association and the European and global agricultural press associations taking part. The event coincides with the 50th anniversary of the World Agricultural Press Congress, which took place in Italy in 1975.
Agrilevante is a technology showcase, but also a platform for agricultural machinery manufacturers, professional associations, and institutions to share their activities with the public and to engage in debates on key agricultural and environmental issues. The tools through which the agricultural world communicates today are more numerous than in the past, because traditional media have been joined by web newspapers and social networks, with a wide range of formats and languages, suitable for different types of audiences. However, technological development and the greater variety of options do not always guarantee the quality of information, which, especially in the agricultural sector, appears more important than ever. UNARGA journalists met yesterday at Agrilevante to discuss current issues in specialized information and the challenges facing information professionals. The round table, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the World Agricultural Press Congress held in Italy in 1975, addressed current issues in specialized information and the challenges facing information professionals. Greetings from FederUnacoma Director General Simona Rapastella, UNARGA President Roberto Zalambani, and Michele Peragine, President of the Apulia Association of Agricultural Journalists, were followed by remarks from Steve Werblow, President of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), and Yanne Boloh, President of ENAJ (European Network of Agricultural Journalists), moderated by Lisa Bellocchi. The role of agriculture has changed over the decades – it was said during the meeting – expanding its scope of activity and moving beyond specialized magazines to increasingly enter the general media. Feeding 10 billion people in the near future poses new challenges, but it also creates new problems. The first is how to reconcile the necessary increase in production with the obligation to safeguard the environment, but also to render production adequate for climate change. Agricultural journalists must be particularly well-prepared – it was observed during the meeting – as well as independent and transparent. From this perspective, associations like IFAJ and ENAJ connect colleagues, offer special opportunities to meet policy makers and farmers, or train with online courses on key topics such as artificial intelligence.
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