Agricultural journalism rarely receives the attention it deserves, even though farming remains at the core of human survival. In this context, Kam Raj Pant’s Agricultural Communication: Practices, Obstacles, and Significances makes a strong case for why the field must be taken seriously, not only by journalists but also by policymakers and media institutions.
Pant, an executive committee member of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) and an honorary PhD recipient in Agricultural Journalism, writes with both authority and lived experience. He begins with the basics, defining agricultural communication versus agricultural journalism, but quickly moves into urgent conversations about credibility, ethics, and the pressing need for accurate agro-reporting. These discussions are refreshing, given how agricultural stories are often reduced to mere statistics in mainstream media.
One of the most compelling chapters, “Farmers’ Communication Preferences,” forces readers to confront a truth: too often, journalists talk about farmers without listening to them. Pant’s emphasis on audience-centric reporting is perhaps the strongest argument in the book. Similarly, his exploration of digital platforms and agri-tech is timely, though it occasionally feels more descriptive than investigative. For a journalist’s eye, some of these sections could have benefited from sharper case studies or stronger data to support the claims.
Where the book succeeds most is in highlighting the gaps in current agricultural journalism. Pant acknowledges the structural problems, weak policies, limited resources, and poor access to data, while also pointing toward solutions such as call centers, agriclinics, and storytelling approaches that humanize agriculture. These suggestions, while not entirely new, are practical and deserve wider application.
That said, the book sometimes leans more toward advocacy than hard critique. Readers seeking deep investigative commentary or comparative analysis with global agricultural media may find the narrative somewhat one-sided. However, as an accessible resource and a rallying call for better agricultural communication, Pant’s work fulfills its purpose.
For journalists, Agricultural Communication: Practices, Obstacles, and Significances is both a mirror and a challenge. It reminds us that agricultural reporting is not niche, it is essential. If media is to influence policy, empower rural communities, and build trust, agriculture cannot remain on the sidelines of journalism.
