Attending the IFAJ World Congress 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, was a truly unforgettable experience. It was a trip full of firsts for me. My first long haul flight, my first time in Africa and my first IFAJ Congress. And I have the BGAJ and the Joe Watson Legacy Fund to thank for that.
It is hard to put the whole experience into just a few words, but if I had to pick just one, it would be perspective. It gave me perspective on how people from different parts of the world approach life, opportunities and challenges; perspective on how farming can be so different and yet so similar; and perspective on the importance of agricultural journalism, particularly as more people rely on social media for their news and as misinformation continues to grow.
From the moment I stepped off the plane in Nairobi airport, I was instantly immersed into the culture, vibrancy and dare I say it, the chaos of Kenya. Almost everything is different to the UK, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the food… everything is a world apart from what we know back home, and yet there is colour, connection and celebration around every corner.
Despite the challenges some communities may face, there is a zest for life in Kenya that I do not believe we have here in the UK. Something which I found particularly inspiring, and something that has certainly given me a different outlook on life since returning home.
As well as experiencing Kenya’s culture, the trip also showed me that while we may do things differently in farming, and while we may have varying access to equipment and technology, the premise remains; we need farmers and we need food. And whether that be the smallholder farmer or the pastoral systems of Kenya or the family farm here in the UK, we need them.
The congress highlighted a shared bond that is present between agricultural communities worldwide, and it was fascinating to see that first hand. Despite language barriers and cultural differences, agriculture really does connect us all.
This is certainly the case for agricultural communicators. Whether that be journalists, photographers or podcasters, and no matter which corner of the globe we come from, we are all trying to tell our farmers’ story.
And that is what is so great about the IFAJ Congress; the opportunity to meet like-minded people, all on their own path, all telling their own country’s farming story. And there is a real unity in that. You really feel like you are part of something.
That I think is one of the most valuable parts of attending an IFAJ Congress, it is the people you meet and the connections you make.
The congress opened me up to an experience I would never have had access to without the BGAJ, and particularly the Joe Watson Legacy Fund. I did not get the chance to meet the late Joe Watson, but having heard stories from fellow congress delegates, he sounded like one of life’s true characters and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity his legacy fund has provided myself and the delegates before me.
In short, the IFAJ World Congress was a trip of a lifetime. In all honesty, I have never felt more outside of my comfort zone in every way possible. But as Winnie the Pooh once said, “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
I am really only scratching the surface of my IFAJ Congress experience. But if you ever get the chance to attend, go for it. Welcome the experience with open arms and open eyes.
