Communication plan validation: improving visibility and engagement in the fight against PPR

Nairobi, 11 September 2025- Strategic communication continues to drive the Pan-African Programme for the Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) toward measurable results. In Nairobi, communication experts, programme officers, and regional stakeholders gathered for a validation workshop to review and refine the PPR Communication Strategy, ensuring it fully aligns with operational needs and partner expectations across Africa.

After a detailed presentation of the draft communication plan, participants divided into two working groups to strengthen the strategy through practical reflection and peer learning.

- The first group focused on defining key messages and audiences, ensuring that each target policymakers, veterinary authorities, farmers, and communities receives clear, relevant, and action-oriented information.
- The second group worked on the action plan and communication channels, aligning activities with available tools and resources while emphasizing visibility, multilingual outreach, and feedback mechanisms.

The groups reconvened in plenary to consolidate all proposals, harmonizing ideas into a coherent, actionable framework ready for implementation. The workshop atmosphere was dynamic and participatory, reflecting a shared sense of ownership among all stakeholders.

The validated PPR Communication Strategy places communication at the heart of programme performance, focusing on four strategic pillars:

- Visibility and Awareness: Ensuring consistent branding and messaging across national and regional platforms.
-    Knowledge Management: Integrating data and results from monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems into bulletins, reports, and media updates.

-    Stakeholder Engagement: Strengthening collaboration with governments, partners, and the media to maintain momentum and accountability.
-    Capacity Building: Empowering communication focal points through training and mentoring for sustainable outreach.
 

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The refined strategy is expected to:

•    Improve awareness and participation among communities and policymakers;
•    Foster partnership visibility and donor confidence;
•    Enhance real-time communication through digital tools and analytics;
•    Promote the exchange of success stories and lessons learned across regions.

Importantly, the communication strategy is built for sustainability. It embeds capacity-building activities for national and regional focal points, ensuring adaptive messaging and continuous improvement well beyond the initial implementation period.

With this strategic approach, the Pan-African PPR Eradication Programme ensures that every stakeholder is informed, empowered, and mobilized creating a communications legacy as impactful as the health and livelihoods it aims to protect.

Closing the workshop, participants reaffirmed that effective communication is not an accessory but a strategic lever in the PPR eradication effort. The validated plan positions AU-IBAR and its partners  FAO, WOAH, and AU-PANVAC to speak with one voice, amplifying Africa’s collective commitment to end PPR by 2030.

This PPR programme is fully funded by the European Union, a steadfast and strategic partner of AU-IBAR, whose continued support reinforces Africa’s collective commitment to achieving  a PPR-free continent by 2030.