World Development Foundation

World Development Foundation
Founded 21st Nov. 2003
Founder Dr. H. O. Srivastava & Dr. Chandra Rashmi
Type Non-Governmental Organisations
Location
Services Education, Sustainable development, Community Development, Broadcasting, Radio, TV, Community Radio, TV, Media Centre, Knowledge Dissemination System, Audio Video content for e-learning
Website WDFINDIA

World Development Foundation[1](WDF) (WDFINDIA) is a charitable foundation with a mission to improve the life of poor and marginalised people. It is a non-governmental organisations based in New Delhi, India. World Development Foundation has been recognised as partner to Government of India with details of sector/ key issues being handled by it and the operational areas (region/ districts) of the country[2] WDF uses the mass media such as broadcasting, ICT and Communication technologies to spread knowledge in the fields of agriculture, healthcare, livelihood generation and removal of ignorance.[3] World Development Foundation was founded in 2003. Since then it is engaged in educating the poor people for uplifting their economic and social condition. WDF is using Community Radio, Mass Media, ICT, New media and Internet for this purpose.[4] This includes WDFINDIA Channel on YouTube[5] for promoting the use of new methods of agriculture and horticulture practices to be used for increasing food and livestock production in India and neighboring countries. These videos are also available on veengle, livetv.tamilulagam, Bollywoodsargam, video-hned, dailymotion and many other sites.

Services Provided

WDF helps in establishing community Radio,[6] media centres, commercial FM radio, TV stations, video conferencing system for the dissemination of audio and video on agriculture, health, education & Sustainable development. WDF also produces audio and video content on educational and related subjects.

Areas of Focus

Community Radio Station in Agriculture University, Hissar, India (ANDS)

World development Foundation did the project for use of Community Radio Stations for livelihood generation in various part of India in the partnership of Media Lab Asia. Under the project, the first radio was established at Ranchi.[7][8] In all, first five Community Radio Stations in Agricultural Universities were established at Ranchi, Coimbatore,[9] Hissar,[10][11] Faizabad, and Raipur in India under this project. Apart from informing and educating farmers about agriculture and best practices in technology, seed, soil, weather, climate, community radio is also being used to bring to focus important social issues on health, education, laws etc. WDF has implemented 25 such projects.[12] The initiative taken by World development Foundation and Media Lab Asia resulted in Community Radio being taken as an approved extension scheme for funding by Ministry of Agriculture (India).WDF is trying to take the expertise to help countries in Africa in using Community Radio for development.[13] World Development Foundation also runs, maintains and operates a number of Community Radio Stations in various part of country to broadcast knowledge to communities to improve their knowledge on education, science, agriculture, their legal rights and also to improve their livelihoods. Community Radio set up by World Development Foundation for the farmers is benefiting the farming community and transforming their lives.[14]

Agriculture Knowledge Dissemination System in Bihar, India(ANDS)

WDF implemented a project Agriculture Knowledge Dissemination System for empowering the farmers in Bihar under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana of Government of India. The Project on Agricultural Knowledge Dissemination System (ANDS) in Bihar included: (1) consultancy and system implementation for setting up an Electronic Media & Production Centre (EMPC) consisting of audio and video studios, PCR room, recording/edition room, digital archives (2) dissemination system consisting of web-casting using Web Portal for agriculture related services, SMS facilities for farmers and high speed internet connectivity between BAU and five KVKs (Video Conferencing)and common Services Centres (CSCs) using available Internet with these CSCs and (3) developing 300 hrs of information on recommended package of practices for the mandate crops in the form of video/audio/multimedia.[15] A MOU was signed between WDF & BAU,.[16][17] A workshop participated by, farmers, NGOs, Self Help Groups, experts, scientists etc. was held on 22nd, July 2011 for a Brain Storming Session to decide the content for Agriculture Knowledge System. This project was conceived for starting the second Green Revolution in Bihar (see the video). WDF developed, designed and implemented the project, for dissemination of agriculture knowledge to farmers under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (State Plan Scheme of Additional Central Assistance). The details of the scheme implemented by WDF is given by Bihar Agricultural University, Government of Bihar[18] The scheme is being used and now extended at other places for empowering farmers of the State. This is the first scheme of its kind in the country.

"Agriculture Knowledge Dissemination System" where the Minister of Agriculture, Bihar Govt., India describes the system as unique for educating farmers for second "Green Revolution" in the country.(Script in Hindi)

WDF also conducts workshops, seminars, and tutorials for knowledge dissemination,.[19][20] WDF also actively participates in deciding the policy and formulating the direction for use of ICT for the benefit of poor.[21]

WDF has been conducting several training courses to manage and operate the community radio stations in association with Universities and others.[22] WDF conducts training courses on Mass Communication and Journalism approved by Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, a Central University.

Awards and recognition

WDF is the approved partner of Media Lab Asia, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (India), Govt. of India,.[23][24] WDF is also a partner of Telecommunications Consultants India Limited for executing the projects jointly. WDF also honours the people with outstanding contribution in the field of media and IT. In this series, WDF awarded Lifetime achievement awards to Padma Bhushan Jaswant Singh, Padma Shri H.S Jolly and others.

Charity

WDF provides monetary assistance to people for education of children and healthcare support. For this purpose, applications are requisitioned and a panel decides the extent of grant.

President

Dr. Hari Om Srivastava is the president of the World Development Foundation.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "World Development Foundation Official website". Wdfindia.org. 2003-11-03. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  2. ↑ "NGO Partenership System". NGO details. Government of India. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  3. ↑ "Details Of World Development Foundation - An NGO In New Delhi". India Mapped. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
  4. ↑ Lucas, Grahame. "India set to become the 'biggest radio market' in the world". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Channel for agriculture knowledge videos". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  6. ↑ "Community Radio Station" (PDF). WDF. Community Radio Portal India. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
  7. ↑ "Radio for rural folk on air". The Telegraph (Calcutta) India. 04-03-2008. Retrieved 09-05-2013. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  8. ↑ "FM radio service for farmers launched in Jharkhand". Thaindian News. 3-4-2008. Retrieved 2013-05-23. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ↑ "TNAU Agritech Portal :: TNAU Community e-Radio". implemented by Media Lab Asia in collaboration with World Development Foundation. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
  10. ↑ "Agricultural varsity to set up radio stations for farmers". Oneindia.in News. 01-08-2008. Retrieved 2013-05-23. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ↑ "Charan Singh University to set up community radio stations". Televisionpoint.com. 04-08-2008. Retrieved 09-05-2013. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  12. ↑ "World Development Foundation Partners And Collaborators". World Development Foundation. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
  13. ↑ "India Africa Project Partnership" (PDF). Session 13 :“Putting Projects on Ground in Africa. Confederation of Indian Industry. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  14. ↑ Kumari, Sonam (3 July 2013). "COMMUNITY RADIO DOING YEOMAN’S SERVICE FOR FARMERS". The Pioneer. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  15. ↑ "Vision Document for Agricultural Knowledge Dissemination System" (PDF). World Development Foundation. Retrieved 12-05-2013. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  16. ↑ "BAU and WDF sign MOU for agriculture project in Bihar". IBNLive / PTI Press Trust of India. 2013-05-17. Retrieved 09-05-2013. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. ↑ "BAU and WDF sign MOU for agriculture project in Bihar". Bihar Foundation. 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  18. ↑ "Agricultural Knowledge Dissemination System in BIHAR (Under RKVY)". Bihar Agricultural University. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  19. ↑ "National Seminar on Community Radio". India PRwire. 04-03-2010. Retrieved 2013-07-25. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ↑ "International seminar on *broadcasting* and IT, Delhi March 25-26". Archive Orange. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  21. ↑ "National Consultation on Community Radio" (PDF). UNESCO. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  22. ↑ "Course for radio jockeys soon". The Hindu. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  23. ↑ "Partnership letter". World Development Foundation. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  24. ↑ "Collaborators". Media Lab Asia. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  25. ↑ "President of World Development Foundation". World Development Foundation. Retrieved 2013-05-23.