Innovative ICT public awareness campaign strategy to communicate environmental sustainability in Africa

Abstract

This paper uses lessons learned from a recent study done in Uganda (East Africa) to show case the urgent need to mainstream the ICTs in environmental policy awareness communication strategy. A recent multimedia public communications campaigns evaluation study conducted in Uganda has indicated that electronic media was the most accessible channels in delivering environmental policy messages countrywide. The problem was based on the assumptions that the campaigns strategy for the national wetlands policy awareness in Uganda has for along time been less successful because it did not focus on the right media strategy with respect to the target audience participation and audience demographic characteristics. There was no gender barrier to information uptake. Low income and education levels were barriers to community access to wetlands information. The study found that the socio-economic backgrounds of the audiences were identical in their access to public information and the types of media used in the campaigns. A combined use of ICTs with human interactions enhances audience exposure to environment messages.