Journalism Award 2015

GENERAL INFORMATION

There is growing awareness of and interest in the issue of global food security and the implications for developing countries and for Australia.

Despite the attention given to the global food price crisis in 2008, food security remains a significant issue in the developing world.

Climate change, high and volatile food and energy prices, population and income growth, changing diets, and increased urbanisation will continue to put intense pressure on land and water and challenge global food security.

The Crawford Fund is a non-profit NGO that has worked for over two decades to raise awareness of issues related to food security, and in particular the role that international agricultural research has to play in responding to poverty and hunger. Our report in 2008 on the global food crisis “A food secure world; how Australia can help” and subsequent series of policy briefs as part of our “Wider Canvas for International Agricultural Research” identify a range of suggested responses including increased support for agricultural research, better policies, new technologies, and social investments to prevent recurring food crises and better feed the world’s burgeoning population while protecting critical natural resources.

To encourage working journalists to investigate the challenges and opportunities in providing positive responses to improved food security and raise awareness on the important role of agricultural research, training and rural development, the Crawford Fund is joining with the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists to support a competition open to working Australian journalists (either print, broadcast or online), to submit a piece of completed work that is published/broadcast within the 12 months prior to the closing date of Monday, 1 June on an issue related to food security.

Entries will be judged by a panel of three and their decision will be final.

The winning journalist will be provided with a Crawford Fund organised and funded visit to a developing country to view and report on Australian and international work underway with a focus on food security.

The journalist should have the support of their employer to undertake an overseas visit of approximately 10 days’ duration at a mutually convenient time within twelve months of the announcement of the winner (usually at the Fund’s annual conference), and for the work from the visit to be considered for publication/broadcast.

Journalists who are freelancers should indicate a willingness to attempt to have work from the visit accepted for publication/broadcast.

ENTRY CONDITIONS

Each candidate will submit only one published print or broadcast audio-visual piece from work published/broadcast in Australian media within the stipulated period.

Entries may touch on any topics that relate to the theme of global food security (food supply, production, R&D, trade, training, policy issues etc), but should not have just an Australian food security/supply focus.

The name of the author/producer should be clearly attributable to the entrant.

Journalists who have travelled on Crawford Fund visits to developing countries are welcome to enter but their entry cannot have been produced as part of an earlier Crawford Fund journalist visit.

Previous winners of the journalism award cannot submit another entry for three years.

Entries should be original pieces with a single person nominated as the author/producer.

The entry must be a single story. Providing multiple pieces that make up a series is not allowed. In such a situation, select one story from the series to enter.

The entry should focus on an issue related to global food security from either an Australian or international perspective.

Entries need to have been published in the 12 months leading up to cob Monday, 1 June 2015.

Entries should be submitted to [email protected] by cob Friday, 5 June 2015, to be considered by a reviewing/judging panel. Submissions over 10mb should be provided by special arrangement.

In applying for the award, the applicant agrees to have their submitted piece possibly used in a collection of applicants’ works, and as such made public.

In applying for the award, the applicant agrees to have their submitted piece possibly reproduced on the Crawford Fund and ACAJ websites.

In applying for the award, the applicant agrees to undertake a visit to a developing country, to a program developed by the Crawford Fund in collaboration with Australian and in-country partners.

All applications should submit a short biographical note including name and full contact details; email address, telephone number(s), postal address, town, country, and a copy or link to the original article if available to show that it has been published/broadcast in the nominated period.

A short statement by the applicant’s employer should indicate their support for a visit by the winner to a developing country, and their interest in using material produced from the visit, should the journalist win the prize.

Entries from freelance journalists should indicate an intention to seek publication of further work produced from the visit, should the journalist win the prize.

Entries have no length (words, minutes, etc.) requirement.

Entries received after the closing date (cob 5 June) will not be considered.

Notification of approved selections will be made by the end of August 2015 (and most likely at our annual conference.

The prize will be made available within 12 months of the announcement. It is possible for the visit to roll over if agreed by both parties.

In accepting the prize, the winner agrees to provide the Crawford Fund with a short report on their visit within 1 months of the trip’s completion, as well as copies of all materials that are published or broadcast in relation to the visit. These may be highlighted (with agreed crediting) on our website or newsletter.

In material produced from the trip, it should be noted that the report/s are from a visit made as winner of the Crawford Fund Food Security Journalism Award.

The prize will include economy class travel, travel/medical insurance, visa costs, accommodation, and general other expenses. The winner is responsible for purchase of their passport and health/medical treatments prior to departure. The winner’s employer is responsible for employment related expenses if any.

SELECTION PROCESS

The Crawford Fund will manage the administrative process for the selection of a winner.

The selection panel of three will be Cathy Reade, representing the Crawford Fund; a nominee of ACAJ and an agricultural research scientist identified by the Crawford Fund, to review entries and make their recommendation on the winner and their choice will be final.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The main selection criteria are:

  • The originality and quality of analysis and/or description of issues at play in global food security, its impacts and solutions;
  • The objectivity, balance, content, clarity and relevance to the theme displayed in the entry;
  • An evidence of an understanding of the complex nature of efforts to achieve global food security and the challenges and opportunities in providing positive responses to improved food security through policy, agricultural research, training or rural development.

ADDITIONAL RULES

  • By entering, participants warrant that their entry materials are original and do not infringe on any third party’s rights;
  • Entry to the contest constitutes an agreement to allow ACAJ and The Crawford Fund to make, if necessary, articles, name, employer and state of residence of applicants, public.
  • Applicants will retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their texts;
  • Submitted articles / videos will not necessarily be returned to their authors;
  • All local taxes and fees on awards and prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner;
  • The Crawford Fund and ACAJ reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition;
  • The decisions made by the panel of judges are final and beyond dispute;
  • All participants in the competition implicitly accept the rules presented in this document.