OFAB media award launched
The Open Forum on Biotechnology (OFAB) Ghana, an environment biotechnology-driven organisation, has launched the 2025 edition of OFAB Media Awards (OMA), and called for entries from journalists reporting on agricultural biotechnologies.
The eighth edition of the OMA was launched at the Council for Industrial Research (CSIR) and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI) in Accra to promote and award journalists who are enthused about sustainable biotechnology.
It would welcome entries for three categories, thus print and online (newspaper and magazines), radio (audio or podcast) and television, with a maximum of three entries for each category of stories published from June 1, 2024, to August 15 this year.
Journalists, as part of the submission of entries which commences on May 1 and ends on August 30 this year, must include a 150-word synopsis of each submitted story, a 150-word professional biography and a 200-word motivation behind each submitted story.
As proof of identification requirement, applying journalists are expected to submit a digital passport-sized photo and a copy of a national identification card or passport, evidence of media accreditation and/or membership of a national media association.
Entries are to be submitted to ofabghana@outlook.com, with active links or URLs to published articles added to the submitted document for all stories in each category.
Meanwhile, entries are not expected from previous winners; runners-up are welcome to make entries.
Criteria, Rationale
At the launch, the Project Officer of OFAB Ghana, Enoch Ilori, said as part of the criteria to be used by the independent jurists made up of two scientists, scoring for stories would be based on “scientific accuracy, initiative, originality, clarity of interpretation, value in fostering a better public understanding of agricultural biotechnology and its impact on society”.
He indicated that OMA was instituted to “promote excellence in science journalism and appreciate the contribution of journalists in promoting sustainable agricultural technologies, particularly agricultural biotechnology”.
Mr Ilori said the OMA award scheme would help “reward the critical roles played by journalists in promoting constructive dialogue on modern biotechnology through responsible, professional, ethical and effective reporting”.
The Project Officer of OFAB added that the winners of the three categories in Ghana would be declared in September or October and take part in the OFAB Africa Media Awards in November this year.
The OFAB Africa Media Awards bring together OFAB country-level finalists from which the overall winners are selected.
He emphasised that OFAB is “driven by a vision of sustainable food security and agriculture-driven economic development in Africa. OFAB enhances knowledge and awareness of agricultural biotechnology to build an understanding of the technology and inform decision-making”.
He added that OFAB was established by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in 2006, and currently operates in 10 countries, namely: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Malawi.
