Rebuilding Agricultural Information Systems Through Climate-Smart Journalism Education: A Cross-Country Impact Assessment in the South Caucasus

Abstract

Agricultural information systems in the South Caucasus have been shaped by institutional restructuring, media resource constraints, and limited sector-specific journalistic capacity. In this context, climaterelated risks, rural livelihood vulnerabilities, and the erosion of
agricultural extension mechanisms have further intensified information gaps affecting farmers and rural producers. This study assesses the impact of a cross-sectoral educational and media intervention aimed at rebuilding agricultural information systems through climate-smart journalism education in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
The intervention, implemented between 2023 and 2026, integrated three core components: (1) the development and institutionalization of a Climate-Smart Communication and Reporting module within journalism education; (2) capacity-building activities for journalists and regional media; and (3) the establishment of a regional media hub facilitating knowledge exchange between universities, media outlets, and rural stakeholders. To evaluate impact, three independent researchers conducted country-level studies using a unified research instrument adapted to local media ecosystems. In Georgia, data were collected through face-to-face interviews with farmers, while in Armenia and Azerbaijan online surveys were employed, complemented in Armenia by qualitative expert interviews. The findings demonstrate that structured educational intervention in journalism can contribute to strengthening agricultural information ecosystems by enhancing media quality, improving farmers’ access to practical knowledge, and fostering cross-sectoral linkages between academia, media, and rural communities. While structural constraints persist—particularly regarding institutional data access and media resource limitations—the results indicate measurable shifts in information behavior, content quality, and perceived resilience among rural producers.
The study contributes to the growing scholarship on development communication and climate-smart journalism by providing comparative empirical evidence from a post-Soviet regional context, highlighting education-based media reform as a viable pathway for rebuilding sectoral information systems.