Promotional posters of radio soap operas

2007 COM+ Award

Que Minh Xanh Mai, the radio soap opera in Vietnam developed using principles of entertainment-education (E-E) won the 2007 COM+ award for communicating science to benefit people and the planet organized by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). COM+ is a partnership between international organizations, media agencies and communication professionals committed to using communications to advance the sustainable development agenda. In addition to the CGIAR, COM+partners include BBC World Service Trust, The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Reuters Foundation, TVE-Earth Report, United Nations Environment Programme, and the World Bank. In this soap opera series, agricultural information was seamlessly incorporated into the 239 episodes of drama broadcast twice weekly to reach 2 million people in the rural areas of the Mekong Delta. The sound tracks of some episodes can be downloaded from the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City (VOH) website.

Research partners at soap opera launch, World Environment Day 2006

2005 World Bank Development Marketplace Award

Started in 2003 through Rockefeller Foundation support, the soap opera won the 2005 World Bank Development Marketplace award that provided additional resources to continue with environmental radio soap opera. “Learning can be filled with fun and enjoyment in E-E and the mechanism can serve as an effective platform to close existing knowledge gaps” said the project leader, Dr K.L. Heong. The soap opera series was developed by a partnership with Dr M.M. Escalada, Dr Nguyen Huu Huan and Mr Vuu Huu Ky Ba.

DM2005 award ceremony with World Bank president, J. D. Wolfensohn

“The Vietnam soaps had a unique feature that drama broadcasts were supported by on-the-ground activities such as radio clubs, quizzes and “meet the actors” day which contributed to changes in farmers’ beliefs and practices” said Dr M.M. Escalada, a communication scientist from the Visayas State University, Philippines, who conducted the evaluation research.

“The soap opera proved to be an effective and rapid way to motivate farmers to act when we used it to reach and help1 million farmers tackle recent virus disease outbreaks in the Mekong Delta” said Plant Protection Department vice director general, Dr Nguyen Huu Huan. IRRI Director General, Dr Robert Zeigler, in support of the E-E approach said, “This work shows the outstanding achievement that can be realized when a CGIAR center joins forces with research institutions and government and private organizations–such as the Visayas State University (Philippines), Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City–in a common and focused effort to improve the lives of poor rural families”.