GLOBAL FORUM ON FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION NO. 57 FROM 7 JUNE TO 6 JULY 2010

RURAL RADIO AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: LINKING FARMERS, EXTENSION WORKERS AND RESEARCHERS

Proceedings and topic available at: http://km.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fsn/docs/PROCEEDINGS_Rural_Radio.doc

I. ISSUES RAISED

Members shared experiences and efforts rural radios are making to support farmers and agriculture development. Radios are an effective mean for disseminating information on innovations and new techniques reaching the most remote areas. Reflections and concerns focused on how to strengthen the links between broadcasters, agricultural extension officers and farmers and on how to make sure listeners’ interest is converted into action.

II. THE VALUE OF RURAL RADIOS

Rural radio is a very effective tool for knowledge sharing, awareness raising, community building and it can help with creating the often missing linkage between farmers and extension workers.

Local radio talk shows create fora where researchers, extension workers and farmers themselves provide and discuss information on farming techniques, policies and markets. Through means such as telephone calls and SMS, programmers can allow villagers to interact with the radio show and to give feedback on what they learned.

Using radio has a number of advantages. There is a strong diffusion of radio receivers in farmer families and the technology is reliable, cost effective and well tested. Radio can reach remote areas with relative ease and can make easy use of local languages and vernaculars and does not rely on the printed word to disseminate information. This is of great value in countries were literacy rates, especially among the most vulnerable, are still low. Radio has also some inherent limitations which need to be understood and addressed in order to provide effective programmes. Radio as such, is one-way, evanescent and its audience is passive. Moreover, even well-absorbed and well-rehearsed knowledge seldom in itself leads to long-term changes in practice. The transition from awareness to trials and eventual adoption of new practices depends on the existence and effectiveness of networks of extension service that are adequately linked to the broadcasts. Unfortunately, in many poor countries these extension services are rarely sufficient.

Passiveness of the medium can be countered by allowing listener’s to participate in the program by phone, SMS and by broadcasting interviews with them. Incentives should be given to farmers who try out and implement what they heard over the radio such as including their experience in subsequent programs. In designing radio programmes it is important to keep in mind that farmers tend to be more interested in learning from fellow farmers' experiences as listeners prefer to listen to some of their own. Shows made up solely of experts will not capture much interest. The participation of someone familiar to the audience greatly increases impact and gives legitimacy to what is being said. People and events are frequently well-know one-to-the-other, and people look forward to listening to something which may already be part-known. The same is true for languages, where using the local language makes the programmes much more appealing and relevant to the audience.

A further important aspect is the timing of the broadcasting. Radio needs to be programmed and messages designed and disseminated at the appropriate time. Also the relevance of the topic for the current season on the agricultural calendar has to be taken into account and farm radios need to be ahead or within the farming activities calendar.

Agriculture project designers should consider rural radios in their projects and plan communicating to the stakeholders through this means from the beginning. Public emissions that are followed by the entire village on the public square could be followed by a local facilitator who is able to verify the perception of the rural actors on a number of issues providing feedback to the program planers and implementers. In order to be successful, Radio broadcasts needs to create a strong link between the farmers, radio broadcasters and the extension workers. Moreover, programmes should feature a certain entertainment value and should be scripted in a way that compels people to become customary listeners.

III. EXAMPLES OF RURAL RADIO PROJECTS

RADIO APAC in Apac District, Northern Uganda

Runs an one hour weekly agricultural talk show inviting women farmers who are experienced in a particular agricultural field and who have emerged as models in their communities alongside experts in the relevant subject matter under discussion. The women speak for about 15 to 20 minutes followed by the experts who speak for 10 minutes and another 30 minutes dedicated for callers from outside (20 calls per show). Experience is, that farmers/listeners are more enthusiastic to participate in the radio discussion though phone calls and SMS when farmers are involved alongside experts.

Akashvani (All India Radio), India

The Indian Ministry of Information broadcasting broadcasts this Kissan (Farmers) programme in all the 14 languages of India. Akashvani is the main source of information to rural and inaccessible areas. Areas of broadcasts are

1. Package of good agricultural practices 2. Discussion between farmers and agricultural experts 3. Agricultural produces prices 4. Markets 5. Series on crops, poultry etc.

Responses of farmers are recorded and incentives given to the best listeners. The series are later compiled into books. Each series like spices, plantation crops etc are sponsored by respective commodity boards. All India Radio remains the best source of information to farmers.

Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR), Uganda

KKCR is part of a bigger development setting the Uganda Rural Development and Training Center (URDT) and of its communication and documentation programme. As a community radio station, part of KKCR's mission is to enable locals of all kinds to participate in KKCR programmes, whether to present information, give testimonials or ask questions. Programmes feature debates and call-in discussions. KKCR also serves as a substitution for phone service – travelers may stop by to broadcast a message.

African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFFRI)

Farm Radio International has launched a project called African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFFRI). This project is being implemented in 5 countries (Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Malawi and the francophone Mali) In Mali, during the first phase, the project worked on two technologies: the production and use of improved compost and the promotion of improved shea butter. Implementation was carried out in five regions with different characteristics and encouraging results

IV. REFERENCES

African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI), Mali http://typo3.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fsn/docs/AFFRI_in_Mali.doc http://typo3.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fsn/docs/IRRRA_au_Mali.ppt (French)

African Farm Radio Research Initiative http://www.farmradio.org/english/partners/afrri/

Busoga Rural Open Source & Development Initiative http://www.brosdi.or.ug/

FAO - The One to watch. Radio, new ICTs and interactivity http://typo3.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fsn/docs/Radio__New_ICTs_and_Interactivity.pdf

FAO Rural Radio Resources http://www.fao.org/sd/ruralradio/en/

Farm Radio International http://www.farmradio.org/

Farm Radio International’s action project http://www.farmradio.org/english/partners/home.asp

Infonet Biovision http://www.infonet-biovision.org

Kubere Information Centre Enhancing Access to Agricultural Information using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) www.kic.wougnet.org

Online Talk Radios http://www.blogtalkradio.com/

Radio Alternative Niger www.alternativeniger.org

Radio Karagwe Kenya Streaming http://fadeco.youstream.fm

Radio Salus Rwanda http://www.salus.nur.ac.rw/playersalus/

The Organic Farmer http://www.organicfarmermagazine.org

University of Guelph - Linking Agricultural Research for Rural Radio in Africa http://www.uoguelph.ca/larrra

University of Guelph - Rocks for Crops Project www.uoguelph.ca/rocks

World Rural Forum www.ruralforum.net