Tbilisi Hosts Conference on Climate-Smart Agri-Reporting
The Climate-smart Communication and Reporting Conference, held in Tbilisi on 10-11th of December, organized by the Journalism Resource Centre (JRC) in partnership with Caucasus International University (CIU), created a regional platform for dialogue on climate change, sustainable agriculture, and the role of media in supporting rural development across Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Participants highlighted the importance of responsible journalism in supporting informed decision-making, climate adaptation, and resilient rural livelihoods.
The two-day event brought together professors, researchers, students, journalists, and agricultural sector representatives, reflecting growing regional interest in climate-smart communication from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. On day one up to twenty students’ participation was a key part of the conference, aiming to strengthen the skills of future journalists in translating complex climate and agricultural topics into clear, accurate, and locally relevant reporting for rural audiences.
The second day focused on media engagement and practical application, with discussions involving representatives of agricultural associations, academia, media and most importantly rural business owners. The business owners who included dairy, honey, silk, veterinary and Lori sectors, told their stories related to the importance of media engagement for climate smart adaptation and grounded the conference in the realities of everyday rural livelihoods and economies.
The conference concluded with the announcement of the winners of JRC’s international media competition, recognizing impactful journalistic coverage of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and local development. Organizers emphasized that agriculture remains central to livelihoods across the South Caucasus, making climate-smart communication essential for strengthening resilience and long-term rural development.
The ALCP2 is supporting the Journalism Resource Center as part of the SDC’s regional initiative, aimed at enhancing media content for rural producers reliant on agriculture and natural resources in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in the context of climate change.