Annual reports and highlights

 

Connect and convince

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's the subtitle of this year's annual report from the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). The report offers a brief tour of UNISDR's many activities with partners worldwide in pursuit of disaster-proof development. Highlights of the year include the launch of the Making Cities Resilient campaign, attended by mayors from 10 participating cities, and progress in engaging with the private sector.

We produced this neatly designed small-format report in record time, in parallel with out work on UNISDR's second Global Assessment Report (see multi-language editions and translations). Delighted to oblige!

 

 

Towards evidence-based poverty reduction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A strong evidence base is essential for the provision of more effective development and humanitarian assistance to the poorest.” Thus the opening sentence of a new annual report published by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). The report describes the research projects funded by DFID, together with the findings and impact of past research. Its value lies in drawing together the lessons learned, enabling these to inform the future activities of DFID and other donor agencies. Its publication is part of a broader shift towards evidence-based decision making across the organization.

That’s a shift we at Green Ink welcome. And we were delighted to be involved in editing and producing this first issue of the report.
 

“Everyone in the Green Ink team was delightful to work with.”

Kate Critchley, Head of Policy and Research Communications, DFID 

 

 

Climate change adaptation in Africa

 

Africa, with its already harsh climate and high poverty levels, is the region that will be hardest hit by climate change. The UK’s Department for International Development (DFIF) has teamed up with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to launch a programme to support the region’s efforts to adapt.

In 2009, Green Ink was invited to work on the programme’s annual report, which took the form of a portfolio containing inserts and a map. This was a team effort, involving our Canada-based science writer as well as both our designers. The attractive design and informative map of project activities have been much admired.
 

“Thanks Rebecca, Paul and Christel for all your fine work.”

Mary O’Neill, Communications Officer, CCAA

 

 

Promoting democratic change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Democracy, like Western civilization, would be a good idea if ever it were truly practised. Well, now there’s an institute specifically dedicated to the pursuit of this noble goal – by peaceful means! The Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, or International IDEA for short, promotes democratic change by providing comparative knowledge, assisting in democratic reform and influencing policy.

Green Ink was asked to write A Record of Actions 2009, a 50-page annual report, based on background documents and interviews by phone or Skype. The result is a mine of information on topics ranging from the management of electoral audits, through coping with the violence that can be associated with elections, to the building of skills among election administrators. Don’t miss the eloquent front cover depicting a poster held aloft by a Canadian demonstrator against the Iraq war.
 

“Great writing job. Green Ink strikes again!”

James Lenahan, Head of Communications, International IDEA

 

 

Explaining biodiversity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As climate change and habitat destruction alter the fate of the planet’s species, rapid and easy access to information about biodiversity has become important as an aid to both conservation and development planning. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is the world’s largest network for storing and exchanging such information, with over 170 million digital records in 1000 or more databases worldwide.

The technical nature of its mandate makes it difficult for GBIF to explain its work to non-specialists. For 3 years running, Green Ink has been brought in to edit the organization’s annual report; we’ve also been invited to re-write its strategic plan. The aim in each case is to ensure that the language used is clear and comprehensible to the lay person.
 

“We have been very happy with the whole process. Sophie Higman has done a very professional job.”

Anne Mette Nielsen, ICT Support Manager, GBIF Secretariat

 

 

Smartening up its act: the ICRA report

 

Based in Wageningen in the Netherlands, the International Centre for development oriented Research in Agriculture (ICRA) strengthens the capacity of stakeholders in agriculture to work together and learn from each other.

Since 2007, Green Ink has edited, designed and produced ICRA’s annual report, producing a smart-looking document that has raised the centre’s profile.  
 

“The annual report, ICRA’s first glossy one, was well received and appreciated among our partners and donors.”

Ans Brom, ICRA Secretariat

 

 

Innovative research in West Africa’s drylands

 

The West and Central African programme of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is conducting research that could transform the prospects for poor people in the difficult drylands of this region. Yet this innovative work remains little known, mainly because of poor communication.

Green Ink has been helping to change that. For two years running, we’ve edited, designed and produced a research highlights report, drawing attention to the exciting results achieved and their impact on farmers and their families.  The 2009 report was produced in tête bêche format, giving the French version equal status to the English.
 

“It’s almost 6 months since we published the ICRISAT WCA Annual Report 2008 – with great success, it was very much appreciated. Therefore I ask whether you would be ready to start the AR 2009.”

Tobias Dierks, Regional Information Officer, ICRISAT WCA

 

 

Way ahead for Africa’s Green Revolution

 

The recently formed Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA) takes its cue from the high-profile support for this idea provided by Kofi Annan and other African leaders. This second agricultural revolution will differ from its Asian predecessor in being more focused on smallholders, more concerned with the whole process ‘from farm to fork’ and more friendly towards women and the environment.

The alliance’s 2008 and 2009 annual reports provide ample evidence of its activities to this end. Working with an associate writer, Green Ink was instrumental in bringing the reports out on time, providing editorial, design and layout support and organizing printing and delivery. 
 

“I am writing to thank you, on behalf of AGRA President and Senior Management, on the excellent high-quality job that you did to produce the AGRA Annual Report. We greatly appreciate your professionalism, hard work and timeliness.”

Akin Adesina, Vice President, AGRA

 

 

Towards better water management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Global Water Partnership brings together all those involved in managing water: government agencies, research institutes, private companies, local stakeholder groups – and so on.

A Green Ink writer wrote the annual account of GWP’s activities, GWP in Action, for eight consecutive years, from 2001 to 2009. The draft was based on background documentation and interviews with stakeholders, conducted via a mix of telephone, skype and email.
 

“Great text… just the style and approach I was looking for.”

James Lenahan, Communications Director, GWP

 

 

Bridging the technology divide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Access to private-sector technologies and know-how is essential to increasing the productivity of African smallholders. Brokering private–public partnerships to this end is the mandate of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).

Established in 2003, the AATF needed to publish an inaugural report in 2005 – and turned to Green Ink to help it develop a product that would do justice to its exciting programme. A Green Ink team wrote, edited, designed and printed the report, which was much admired for its attractive design as well as its readable and informative text.
 

“I appreciate your effort and that of your team in getting the report out – one that we will all be proud of.”

Nancy Muchiri, Communications and Partnerships Manager, AATF

 

 

The scaling up challenge

 

Launched in 1985, the charity FARM-Africa is devoted to improving African agriculture by designing and developing models of good practice in crop production, animal husbandry and the management of natural resources.

The charity's 2006/07 annual report, written, designed and produced by Green Ink, addresses the challenge of scaling up these models – through work to improve the policy environment, build capacity at community level and strengthen public awareness. It’s a more strategic report than is usual for a non-government organization (NGO), directed at the corporate and public-sector communities that are also important in supporting NGO work. 
 

“I found the report very useful.”

Christie Peacock, CEO, FARM-Africa

 

 

Information for ACP agriculture

 

The job of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is to improve the flow of information on agriculture and related fields to and among the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The centre has a special interest in promoting the application of information and communications technologies (ICTs).

From 2006 to 2009 Green Ink was contracted to produce CTA’s annual report in English and French. Throughout this period we worked closely with CTA’s staff to develop both the content and the design of the report, which was commended for its arresting cover designs. The series culminated in CTA’s first ever on-line annual report (see websites). 
 

“We have a good product to our credit and can say we have seen a great deal of improvement in the production of the report.”

Karen Hackshaw, Programme Coordinator, Institutional Publications, CTA

 

 

Still in print: CTA’s highlights

 

Organizations switching to on-line annual reporting often still need a short highlights document to hand out at meetings or mail to users in rural areas deprived of Internet access. 

In 2009, Green Ink won a 3-year contract to produce a 12-page highlights document for the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). Working with CTA staff we edited, designed, laid out and printed, developing French and Portuguese editions as well as the English.