Project Management
COMMUNICATION PLAN 8
Communication plan
Bruce McClaflin
Grantham University
The communication plan outlined below is part of the components that will ensure successful implementation of the project, “School Farming for healthy food” which aims at promoting the production and consumption of organic foods among school going children. This plan aims at targeting the collaboration of not only the students but other stakeholders such as the school administration, teachers, parents and the surrounding community. It also has the potential of attracting and mobilizing support from other stakeholders such as social activists, government institutions and healthcare decision makers to this campaign. The plan is presented as below:
| Stakeholder | Information needs | Mode of communication | Regularity |
| School administration -It is core to the project’s success because of land provision and maintenance. | a) Land rearing information. b) Quality and affordable organic seeds information. c) Climatic changes information. d) Predetermined and preapproved budget that covers all activities such as tilling, planting, irrigating, weeding and harvesting. | Reports and Excel spreadsheets. | Biweekly and monthly basis. |
| Parents -They will offer moral and financial support. | a) Garden preparation information. b) Seed quality information and maintenance. c) Organic food preparation at home information. d) School budget for the project. | Reports, leaflets and excel spreadsheets. | Biweekly and monthly basis. |
| School nutritionist -Will offer professional nutritional and diet information and guidance. | a) Medical reports for all students including allergens and other health concerns. b) Signed approval from parents regarding the children’s meal preparation. c) Government guidelines on school meals documents. | Reports, documents and approval letters. | Monthly basis. |
| Farmers and local area -They will offer auxiliary support for the school farms. | a) Seed quality and farm rearing information. b) Climatic change and forecast information. | Training workshops and seminars by agricultural experts, information handouts and video sources. | Bimonthly basis. |
| State representative -Will help to mobilize government support in form of government funded school programs and policies that support healthy living. | a) Preapproved school budget. b) Information on suppliers of seeds and fertilizers to check for Food and Drug Administration approval. c) Professional certification for the school nutrionist. | Reports, quality performance and school schedules. | Monthly basis or when requested by official. |
The above communication plan covers the basic communication needs for the overall project, however, its effectiveness needs to be regularly reviewed through conduct surveys and interviews of the stakeholders. This will help to test their knowledge and understand of the core objective and outcomes of the project. It will also determine their level of commitment hence predetermining the longevity and growth of the project.
This project has the tenets of ensuring a productive and healthy future for the school going children by addressing the most critical aspects of their growth and development, which is their diet. According to World Bank,” malnutrition is one of the world’s most serious but least-addressed development challenges” (The World Bank, 2017, par. 1). Therefore, this project acts as a basis for other communities and nations to adopt in their own settings. The collaboration with a state representative is a good strategic move by the project sponsors because it help to mobilize support from larger stakeholders. This will also ensure that the credibility of the project is not comprised if it does not adhere to government approvals and procedures.
One of the significant approvals is from the United States Department of Agriculture which has spelled out nutrition standards from school meals. “The new standards align school meals with the latest nutrition standards and real world circumstances of America’s schools” (United States Department of Agriculture, 2017, par. 2).The state representative will act as the authoritative guide in ensuring that the project adheres to most of the standards.
In retrospect, this project is driven by the need to promote production and consumption of organic foods and it can become a prevalent culture if it is instilled in young children. According to Lee and Goudeau (2014, par.1), “the development of positive attitudes toward organic foods among consumers is important for the long term success of organic food products and or brands”. Furthermore, focusing on organic foods will help in the long term recovery and maintenance of the state of the whole ecosystem. This is because there will be no need for application of harmful fertilizers and pesticides which end up as runoff into water sources during the rainy season. It will also ensure that soil fertility is renewed since organic foods will use organic mature and fertilizers. In terms of disease management, people will consume clean and healthy foods which are not contaminated with chemicals. However, the significant effect will be felt if such as project is adopted in all different schools and educational institutions.
References
Lee, H-J, & Goudeau, C. (2014). Consumers’ beliefs, attitudes and loyalty in purchasing organic foods: The standard learning hierarchy approach. British Journal, 116(6), pp.918-930.
The World Bank. (2017). The World Bank and Nutrition. Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/nutrition/overview
United States Department of Agriculture. (2017). School Meals. Retrieved from https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards-school-meals
