Comunicación eficaz con la comunidad local

Official Title:

Communicating effectively with the local community

Country:

Italy

ID:

GPM004-IT14

Description

Context, needs, opportunity:

FLAG communication activities can be an important catalyst for innovation and change, and are a transversal element in the local development strategy. Through effective communication, the Adriatico Salentino FLAG in Puglia, Italy, has helped to empower local fishermen to become drivers of change in their communities.

Objectives of the Adriatico Salentino communication strategy:

To raise the profile of fishing activities in the FLAG area and encourage fishermen to become more active along the entire value chain;
To raise awareness among the local population about sustainable seafood consumption and the route to market of “fresh, good and local” fisheries products;
To reach out to all the actors in the territory and establish an information flow with a wide range of stakeholders in the production and distribution chain.

Key activities:

The collective development of a logo for the FLAG through a school competition: promoting awareness of the fishing community to schools and children of different ages;
The use of the mascot, “Paul Po” in classrooms to educate pupils about sustainable consumption and local fish species. This initiative targeted younger children (e.g. 1500 children from all the primary schools in the area) but also aimed to raise awareness of local consumption habits among their families;
Involving fishermen and schools as actors in a theatre play about fishing;
Sharing fishermen’s knowledge of traditional recipes and traditional fishing techniques; such as the “érgate” (a fishing method that allows for the catching of small pelagic fish from the coast, without the need for a boat), a key aspect of the local cultural heritage;
Active information dissemination through social media on the possibilities and achievements of CLLD;
The development of the Fishdirect App, which brings together fishermen and consumers by providing information on locations for the direct sale of local fish;
A new online radio station to promote the activities and programme of the Apulian FLAGs.

Objectives:

To raise the profile of fishing activities in the FLAG area and encourage fishermen to become more active along the entire value chain;
To raise awareness among the local population about sustainable seafood consumption and the route to market of “fresh, good and local” fisheries products;
To reach out to all the actors in the territory and establish an information flow with a wide range of stakeholders in the production and distribution chain.

Activities:

The collective development of a logo for the FLAG through a school competition: promoting awareness of the fishing community to schools and children of different ages;
The use of the mascot, “Paul Po” in classrooms to educate pupils about sustainable consumption and local fish species. This initiative targeted younger children (e.g. 1500 children from all the primary schools in the area) but also aimed to raise awareness of local consumption habits among their families;
Involving fishermen and schools as actors in a theatre play about fishing;
Sharing fishermen’s knowledge of traditional recipes and traditional fishing techniques; such as the “érgate” (a fishing method that allows for the catching of small pelagic fish from the coast, without the need for a boat), a key aspect of the local cultural heritage;
Active information dissemination through social media on the possibilities and achievements of CLLD;
The development of the Fishdirect App, which brings together fishermen and consumers by providing information on locations for the direct sale of local fish;
A new online radio station to promote the activities and programme of the Apulian FLAGs.

Main achievements:

La eficaz labor de comunicación del FLAG ha ayudado a los pescadores de la zona a iniciar nuevas actividades, en conjunción con sus empleos tradicionales, y a adoptar el uso de nuevas tecnologías en su trabajo diario (en torno al 40-50 % de los pescadores de la zona se muestran activos en los medios sociales y siguen al FLAG en Facebook y Twitter).

Transferability:

La comunicación constituye una importante actividad de los FLAG. Aunque las herramientas de comunicación y los mensajes se tienen que adaptar a las distintas circunstancias locales, los FLAG pueden inspirarse en las ideas presentadas aquí para desarrollar sus propias actividades de comunicación. Más en concreto, los FLAG pueden situarse a la vanguardia de la inclusión digital en las comunidades pesqueras fomentando el uso de los medios sociales y las nuevas tecnologías de comunicación.

Lessons:

Los FLAG se encuentran en una posición única para ayudar a los pescadores a comunicar o divulgar su trabajo y sus conocimientos entre la comunidad local, así como a sensibilizar sobre los productos pesqueros locales. La comunicación constituye un elemento vital en la labor de animación de los FLAG, pero requiere de un presupuesto suficiente y de los conocimientos y experiencias adecuados. Sería conveniente en este sentido que los FLAG se plantearan la necesidad de adquirir nuevas habilidades en ámbitos como la administración web y la animación de medios sociales y blogs.

Resources

Skills:

Habilidades contrastadas para las relaciones interpersonales, capacidad para llegar a diferentes tipos de público (desde el contacto directo a los medios sociales), elevadas dotes de comunicación escrita y oral (redacción de artículos para los medios sociales y la web, animación de blogs).

Financial resources:

Aproximadamente €40 000 anuales para actividades de comunicación (2015).

Other resources:

Las actividades de comunicación están incluidas dentro de los gastos de animación y funcionamiento de los FLAG. También dependen en gran medida del compromiso personal y de las dotes de comunicación del personal de los FLAG.