Senegalese journalists of Fatick and Kaolack (center) together with their colleagues from St. Louis (North), have recently created the Friends of Mangrove Journalists Association (AAJAM) and the Journalists Network on Climate Change (RJ2C). These developments came as a result of training sessions on Climate Change Adaptation and Ecosystem Approach held by Wetlands International for the media as an activity within the Program MFS II Ecosystem Alliance. These two new structures have been set up to develop more awareness and participation on issues related to climate change and protection of the mangrove.
The Network of Journalists on Climate Change (RJ2C) and the Friends of Mangrove Journalists Association (AJAM) were created respectively in Foundiougne (Center) and St. Louis (North) of Senegal. The AJAM which gathers media professionals of Fatick and Kaolack regions is led by the Ngor Sarr, journalist and Correspondent of Sud FM radio in Fatick while his colleague Ousseynou Diop of Teranga FM radio in Saint-Louis chairs the RJ2C.
The chairmen of these two structures have expressed committment to work towards the protection of environment and the conservation of natural resources. They pledged to focus energy on raising more awareness and media practitioners’ participation on issues related to climate change and the conservation and management of the mangrove resource. An action plan and a strategic roadmap have been developed by both RJ2C and AJAM.
The two entities were established after two training workshops organized by Wetlands International Africa as part of the Ecosystem Alliance Program for journalists of the regions in the Centre Seenegal (Fatick and Kaolack) and in the Northern part (St. Louis) on the theme ‘’ Climate Change Adaptation and Ecosystem Approach ‘’. Training sessions have enabled men and women of the press to update their knowledge on environment in general and specifically on the Ecosystem Alliance Program. Wetlands International has strengthened the capacities of 35 journalists from these 3 regions to better train them on more relevant handling of media reporting on each issue raised during the training.
Wetland International is involved for several years in actions for restoration and mangrove conservation in the area of Foundiougne and deemed it fit that its activities be strenghtened with an awareness program for the communication professionals of the natural region of Sine-Saloum.
Thus, the Friends of Mangrove Journalists Association (AJAM) will be a reliable ally within on public information sharing to restore and protect the mangrove ecosystem, but especially to defend the mangrove and allow it to play its role in the socio-economic development of the centre-west of Senegal.
This same role of vanguard and early warning body is also endowed to the Journalists Network on Climate Change (RJ2C) considering the sensitive environment features of the city of St. Louis which is heavily affected by climate change.