The Competition

The competition is aimed to encourage ACP journalists working for ACP print and online media to investigate the challenges and opportunities for ICT contribution to agriculture and showcase success stories, best practices as well as challenges and opportunities.

1. Enabling environment for the agricultural sector to maximise the benefits from ICTs
2. Gender mainstreaming through ICTs for efficient/effective agricultural activities
3. Use of ICTs to boost access to markets and facilitate agribusiness

Focus areas: The journalists are required to submit original unpublished articles with concrete examples, which correspond to one of the three areas below:

Main Evaluation Criteria

a. Good understanding of challenges and opportunities of ICTs in agriculture

b. Originality of topic/approach

c. Quality of structure

d. Quality of language (engaging writing style, good spelling and grammar, etc.)

e. Depth of analysis

f. Relevance of examples and testimonies

g. Presence of bibliography and/or other relevant references

h. Respect of the prescribed format of the text

Eligibility

The competition is open to journalists who are nationals of ACP countries working for print or online media.

Submission

Type of articles: you can chose one of the following types

• Analysis paper
• Field report
• Opinion pieces

Format:

• In English or French language
• Number of words: between 1,200 and 1,500. 
  Font : Arial; 
  Size of characters : 11 
  Line spacing: 1.5 
  Document in MS Word
  Inclusion of original infographics is allowed
• Additional document required: one page biography of the author

Deadline:

Your article in English or French language must reach the organizers by 15 August 2013 to be considered for inclusion in the conference. Applicants can submit their entry in French or English to mediaprize@ict4ag.cta.int with a copy to mikenga@cta.int .

Note:

We do not accept audio or video entries, nor question and answer type of text.

Selection Process

An international panel of judges from the media will review and score submitted articles and make recommendations to CTA.

Awards and Prizes

The top six finalists will be announced in September, 2013. The six finalists will be fully supported to attend the international conference on ICT4ag in Kigali, Rwanda. They will also each receive Euro 1,000 (one thousand) prize.

During the conference, the six finalists will be asked to write an original article based on one topic discussed during the conference, taking into account expert opinions case studies and arguments.

The top three “Winners” will be announced during the international conference on ICT4ag. They will be selected based on the above mentioned criteria. The overall “Winner” – 1st place, will receive an additional Euro 1000. The second place winner will receive an additional Euro 500. The third place winner will receive an additional Euro 300. The top 3 “Winners” will also receive CTA trophies and book prizes.

The prize giving event will take place on 7 November 2013 in Kigali, Rwanda, during the International Conference on ICT4ag. More information on the contest will be available at http://www.ict4ag.org

Additional rules

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation reserves the right to disqualify any entry if it does not meet the present guidelines;

• By entering, participants warrant that their entry materials are original and unpublished, and do not infringe on any third party's rights;
• Entry to the contest constitutes an agreement to allow CTA to make, if necessary, articles, name, occupation and state of residence of applicants, public;
• In addition it constitutes an agreement to allow CTA to publish the articles and infographics in its print and online publications and in the framework of promotional activities. Applicants will retain copyright and all other rights to future use of their articles and infographics;
• CTA will not be obliged to return submitted articles to their authors;
• All local taxes and fees on awards and prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner;
• If, for any reason, the competition is not completed as planned, CTA reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend it;
• The decisions made by the panel of judges and CTA are final and beyond dispute;
• All participants in this competition implicitly accept the guidelines presented in this document.

*ACP Countries

“ACP” stands for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries who are signatories of the ACP-EU (European Union) Cotonou Agreement. ACP countries are the following: South Africa – Angola – Antigua and Barbuda – Bahamas – Barbados – Belize – Benin – Botswana – Burkina Faso – Burundi – Cameroon – Cap Vert – Chad – Comores – Central African Republic – Congo (Brazzaville) – Congo (Kinshasa) – Cook Islands – Cuba – Djibouti – Dominican Republic – Dominica – East Timor – Eritreia – Rwanda – Equatorial Guinea – Fiji – Gabon – Gambia – Ghana – Grenada –Guinea-Bissau – Guyana – Haiti – Ivory Coast – Jamaica – Kenya – Kiribati – Lesotho – Liberia – Madagascar – Malawi – Mali – Marshall Islands – Maurice – Mauritania – Federated States of Micronesia – Mozambique – Namibia – Nauru – Niger – Nigeria – Niue – Palau – Papua New Guinea – Republic of Guinea – Rwanda – Saint Christopher and Nevis – Saint Vincent and Grenadines – Saint Lucia – Samoa – Sao Tome – Senegal – Seychelles – Sierra Leone – Solomon Islands and Principe – Somalia – South Sudan - Sudan – Suriname – Swaziland – Tanzania – Togo – Tonga – Trinidad and Tobago – Tuvalu – Uganda – Vanuatu – Zambia –Zimbabwe