ACADEMY GRADUATES
2022
LOCATION: Karonga District, Malawi
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Promoting cocoa as an alternative livelihood
CONTACT: Innocent Nazombe, Director of Tuntufe FM - innonazombe@yahoo.co.uk
The Northern Karonga District of Malawi, bordering Tanzania beyond the Songwe River, is a flood plain prone to massive soil erosion. However, due to heavy rainfall, cocoa is the main growing crop in the area. While many earn their incomes from selling cocoa, other means of livelihood include small scale fishing along the river, extracting palm oil for sale, and cross-border trade. The poor infrastructure makes it difficult for farmers to carry their goods to mainland Malawi and are forced to sell in Tanzania where cocoa beans are bought at lower prices.
The proposed radio programmes will target the area of Traditional Authority Mwakaboko which is home to 24,889 people (12,942 male and 11,947 female), primarily the cocoa-growing communities of Kitwika. The people of Kitwika face a number of challenges, including soil erosion and poor infrastructure as a result of heavy floods; the lack of recognition of cocoa as a cash crop in Malawi; how to run their Community Based Organisations (CBOs) effectively; and the exclusion of women from markets despite the key role they play in cocoa production. Twice a week, programmes recorded with the Programme Reference Group representing mainly (but not exclusively) women cocoa farmers of differing age groups, an Agriculture Extension Worker, an NGO representative, and a local CBO leader in Kitwika will be broadcast over a three-month period on local radio station Tuntufye FM Radio, reaching a listenership of 1,650,000 beyond the Kyangonde-speaking people. Interviews with an expert such as the extension worker, NGO member, or researcher will supplement knowledge on the topic. There will be a dedicated phone line for SMS and phone calls and communal listening sessions in three strategic locations to allow listeners to provide feedback. The facilitating radio champion will send notes/recordings of the questions and comments that will be covered in future programmes.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Access to radio based agricultural extension services for cocoa farmers in Karonga for healthier trees and increased production.
Increased recognition of, and adoption of, cocoa as an alternative profitable agricultural value chain in Karonga District.
Enhanced voice of women in the community-based organisations and in the marketing of cocoa.
LOCATION: Mufulira District, Zambia
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Mixed smallholder farming
CONTACT: Haggai Sikolongo, District Agriculture Information Officer - haggaisinks@gmail.com
Mufulira District in Northern Zambia, bordering DRC, is a mining zone with high levels of unemployment and a large youth population. Farming activities are undertaken out of necessity or a lack of alternative opportunities, and focus on mixed agriculture (largely maize, with growth in more valuable crops such as groundnuts, soybean and sunflowers) and livestock (mainly chickens, goats and fish). Rural infrastructure is poor and there are limited farmer services such as training, bulking and research stations.
The proposed radio programmes will target the 24,000 smallholder farmers (15,000 women and 9,000 men) identified by the District Agriculture Office as requiring support to overcome challenges such as the impacts of climate change, soil erosion, biodiversity loss and high input prices, as well as poor access to the tools, technologies and infrastructure that will make their farming more profitable. Weekly programmes recorded with two Farmer Programme Reference Groups representing the 17 agricultural camps in the district will be broadcast over a six-month period on local radio station Yours FM in the Bemba language, reaching a potential listenership of 200,000 people. Agriculture, livestock and cooperative officers will attend the programme recordings to supplement the farmers’ own knowledge with technical advice, and agro dealers will be invited to provide information on accessing inputs. Listeners will be invited to call or message the radio station with feedback and questions, which will be incorporated into future episodes of the programme, and 10 radio listening clubs will be established in different locations so that farmers can listening communally and discuss their learning.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Agricultural policy and planning become more responsive to the needs and interests of smallholder farmers
Farmers increase their knowledge and adoption of agricultural practices and technologies that will enhance yields and quality of produce on crops
Farmers increase their knowledge and adoption of livestock management practices that will improve animal health and productivity
Farming is promoted as a desirable and valuable business activity, particularly to young people
Farmers increase their knowledge of and access to more lucrative markets for their produce
LOCATION: Narok and Kajiado Counties, Rift Valley, Kenya
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Income diversification and market access for Maasai communities
CONTACT: Michael Sayo, Founder and Director, MANDO - michael@mandomaasai.org
The Narok and Kajiado counties of the Rift Valley in Kenya are small communities with poor infrastructure and terrain with mostly red soil. Farming activities are undertaken as a subsistence activity and focus on growing green beans and keeping livestock.
The proposed radio programmes will target Matonyok farmers growing green beans in Narok and Kajiado Counties who require support to overcome challenges such as food insecurity, lack of information, and market access and connectivity. Weekly programmes recorded with a Programme Reference Group from the Kajiado and Narok Counties will be broadcast over 6 months on local KBC station Nosim FM and a monthly podcast in Maasai, Swahili and English languages, reaching a listenership of 80,000 people. The programme will work with the Ministry of Agriculture to introduce extension officers in the area to facilitate future training and extension services for the farmers. Listeners will be invited to give feedback through social media, open public meetings in Maasai land called Baraza, and by calling into the radio station. Comments and questions will be integrated into the programme.
The programmes have the following objectives for the target communities:
Increase knowledge sharing amongst farmers on best practices and government support available
Improve market access and transparency
Build a strong community of farmers to generate alternative income streams for the Maasai community, including green bean and livestock farmers
LOCATION: Choma District, Zambia
PROGRAMME FOCUS: More sustainable smallholder livelihoods
CONTACT DETAILS: Maybin Augustine Katungulu, Assistant Station Manager, YG FM - maybinkat@yahoo.co.uk
Rural communities in the Choma District of Zambia are organised and headed by traditional leaders, who are custodians of the land. Farming activities are undertaken out of necessity and a lack of alternative opportunities and focus on mixed agriculture (largely maize, with some growth in more valuable crops such as groundnuts, soybean and sunflowers). Farmers also to keep livestock. including cattle, goats, and pigs. The poor road network is impassable during the rainy season, with collapsed bridges cutting some communities off from others.
The proposed radio programme will target 25,000 small-scale farmers (60% women and 40% men) in the rural villages of Mbabala, Sibanyati, and Singani, who require support to overcome challenges such as the impacts of climate change, soil erosion, reduced milk production, depleted land, biodiversity loss and high input prices, as well as poor access to the tools, technologies and infrastructure that will make their farming more profitable. Programmes will be recorded with the Programme Reference Groups representing the Sibanyanti and Singani alternatively, ensuring women have a 50% representation. These will be broadcast twice weekly over 6 months on Young Generation Radio (YG FM) reaching a listenership of 10,000 people. The District Extension Officer will support the PRG by providing additional technical input and answering farmers' questions. Listeners will be able to provide feedback through communal listening sessions, phone-in programmes, and WhatsApp.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Improve farmer’s knowledge and adoption of crop diversification, environmentally friendly farming and innovative farming practices to increase productivity, value addition and reduce food insecurity
Increase women’s confidence and opportunity to market their crops, which enables women farmers to expand income and decision-making power
Increase farmer’s knowledge of the impacts of climate change, ability to adapt and mitigate their farming, consequently enhanced productivity.
LOCATION: Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Value addition and micro-enterprise development in smallholder agriculture
CONTACT DETAILS: Khosi Kunene, Founder - mandukunene@gmail.com
The Gauteng and Limpopo provinces of South Africa have contrasting socio-economic outlooks with Gauteng as the country's economic hub, whilst Limpopo is mainly rural and peri-urban with agriculture as main contributor. In Gauteng specifically, unemployment forces people into urban agriculture as a means of income. Limpopo’s municipal area is rich in agriculture and supports produce like bananas, mango, macadamia nuts, with small scale cattle farming as well. Many of these farmers rely predominately on the land to feed their families with a little surplus to sell or trade. This sector continues to be characterised by inequality in terms of the distribution of economic assets, support services, market access, infrastructure and income.
The proposed radio programmes will target emerging rural and urban smallholder farmers, with a particular focus on women. Smallholder farmers in South Africa face challenges in accessing the agrifood system, markets, insurance, and with participating in the modern economy. Poor infrastructure and large value-chain participants act as market barriers for many smallholders. Every two weeks, programmes recorded by 12 farmers in the Program Reference Group (identified by partners from The Farmers Council, Bayers, Corteva, Khumo ea Tsebo Advisory Services, and local departments of agriculture) will be broadcast on Jozi FM for the Gauteng audience (listenership of just under 1 million) and Vhembe FM for the Limpopo audience (120,000 listeners) in the language specific to the region. Agricultural experts such as extension officers, veterinarians, and agronomists will contribute their expertise on farming commodities when needed. Listeners will be able to provide feedback through the WhatsApp Group, Facebook, Twitter and the website and questions will be answered a few minutes before the start of the next broadcast.
The programmes will have the follow objectives for the two target communities:
Urban Farmers:
Increase participation in agro-processing knowledge.
Target grain and livestock smallholder farmers for agro-industrial development programs.
Provide information and knowledge on how to create a conducive environment as a strategy of lowering transportation and storage costs.
Rural Farmers
Engage government in identifying extension officers, veterinarians, agronomists that will exclusively serve this community.
Increase farmers knowledge on how to organize themselves according to the crops they grow.
Increase their knowledge about sustainable and organic farming.
LOCATION: Tana Delta Subcounty, Kenya
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Promoting peaceful coexistence between crop and pastoralist farmers in Tana River
CONTACT DETAILS: Fatma Mzee, Director of Operations, Amani Community Center and Vox Radio (formerly Amani FM) - babieshants@gmail.com
The Tana Delta Subcounty, which sits along the Tana River, is one of Kenya’s most significant wetlands and among the largest deltas in Eastern Africa. The county is vast in terrain, making it suitable for the crop farming community and pastoralists that keep large herds of cattle, sheep, and goats - while other communities engage in small-scale fishing. Unfortunately, migratory movements have destroyed crops and caused conflicts between the farmers and pastoralists. Rural infrastructure is very poor for residential communities and natural floods/draughts impede travel and sales in town centres.
The proposed radio programmes will target the community at large, which consists mainly of traditional pastoralists and crop farmers, to overcome challenges such as the impacts of climate change, poor farming practices and infrastructure, lack of access to information or markets due to illiteracy, outdated farming methods that lead to slow productivity, and misinformation concerning the crop-livestock attacks and ongoing conflicts. Weekly programmes recorded with Vox Radio and representatives from both the crop farmers’ and pastoralists' communities will be broadcast over a 12-month period reaching a listenership of 180,000 people.
Amani Community Center and Vox Radio will partner with farmers' groups, the Ministry of Agriculture, and agricultural research institutions that represent crop farmers and pastoralists to ensure that farmers receive all the necessary information they need to prosper. Listeners will be able to give feedback through off air phone and SMS lines which will be noted and answered in the next episode. There will also be three Communal Listening sessions of 5 people that will comprise a youth, two women, a council of elder and a religious leader for 1) the pastoral community, 2) the crop Farmers community, and 3) cosmopolitan communities in the town centre.
The programmes will have the following objectives for the target communities:
Enhance peaceful coexistence between crop and pastoralist farmers in Tana River
Promote economic stability through quality information, communication, and technology
Farmers and pastoralists adapt to the changing weather and climate to enhance crop yields and improve animal health
Farmers and pastoralists adopt modern methods to increase productivity and reduce nomadism
Farmers and pastoralists increase their knowledge of and access to more lucrative markets
LOCATION: Kisumu City, Nyanza Region, Kenya
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Regenerative farming
CONTACT DETAILS: Stephen Tolo, Assistant General Manager, Kajulu Hills Ecovillages - kajuluhillsecovilages@gmail.com
Kisumu City in the Nyanza region of Kenya is known for its water and rail connections making it suitable for trade. The main economic activity is agriculture, land farming, livestock and fishing, but not many grow crops to sell. There are no cooperatives or farmer organisations in the region as agriculture is mostly for household consumption.
The proposed radio programme will target 8,000 smallholder farmers within the Kajulu Hills region (5,000 women and youths, and 3,000 men) who struggle with the high cost of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, poor farming methods, degraded land, poor biodiversity, deforestation, poor harvests and other environmental hazards. Programmes will be recorded with a Programme Reference Group (PRG) consisting of members of the Regenerative Agriculture Network, trained individuals practicing regenerative farming, young people, and two new members who are not familiar with the regenerative concept. These programmes will be broadcast twice weekly for 6-12 months on Sky FM, reaching a listenership of over 30,000 people. Listeners will be able to provide feedback through SMS and direct call. Questions and comments will be responded to by sending SMS directly to their phone numbers, and very technical questions can be answered by experts or after consultations among the PRG.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Improvements in knowledge and practice of regenerative agricultural practices, evidenced by
Decreased use of chemical fertilisers
Decreased use of chemical pesticides
Increased use of organic manure
Increase in the practice of indigenous vegetable seed conservation
Increase in the use of integrated pest management system
Increase in the number of women and youth engaging in regenerative agriculture
Improvement in yields and quality of farm production
16 individuals representing 13 organisations working with smallholder farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Ghana and India secured places on the inaugural Farmers’ Voice Radio Academy, running between March and May 2022. Over the course of four online group training sessions and two individual coaching sessions, participants gained the skills, knowledge and tools to design and deliver participatory radio programming in their own context. Each graduated with a fully developed and costed Farmers’ Voice Radio programme plan to take forward for resourcing and implementation.
Recognising that access to finance can be the biggest barrier to new initiatives, at the end of the course a start-up grant competition was opened to all Academy graduates with the intention of providing seed funding to the best Farmers' Voice Radio (FVR) Programme Concepts, to help get their radio programmes underway. Seven applications were received and assessed against pre-agreed criteria by members of the Lorna Young Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Out of a very strong field, two FVR Programme Concepts really stood out as embracing the Farmers’ Voice Radio values and approach and demonstrating a clear response to a need evidenced by consultation with their target audience.
The organisations who received grants were:
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Kajulu Hills Ecovillages based in Kisumu, Kenya, whose radio programmes are improving the sustainability of farming in the Nyanza region through increasing knowledge and practice in regenerative farming. Here is a blog about the Kajula Hills Ecovillages radio programme.
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Amani Community Center in Tana River, Kenya, who are using Farmers’ Voice Radio on their community station Vox Radio (formerly Amani FM) to enhance peaceful coexistence between crop and pastoralist farmers in the region and to support the economic empowerment of community members.
Fatma Mzee, Operations Director of Vox Radio, said: “After going through the Farmers’ Voice Radio Academy, as a journalist I feel capacitated and the need to have the programme run at our radio station to foster change in the way our community does its farming activities. Better practices will in turn lead to better yields and market access...”
You can find out more information about all the 2022 Academy Graduates Farmers’ Voice Radio Programme Concepts below:
Academy Graduates 2022
LOCATION: Karonga District, Malawi
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Promoting cocoa as an alternative livelihood
CONTACT: Innocent Nazombe, Director of Tuntufe FM - innonazombe@yahoo.co.uk
The Northern Karonga District of Malawi, bordering Tanzania beyond the Songwe River, is a flood plain prone to massive soil erosion. However, due to heavy rainfall, cocoa is the main growing crop in the area. While many earn their incomes from selling cocoa, other means of livelihood include small scale fishing along the river, extracting palm oil for sale, and cross-border trade. The poor infrastructure makes it difficult for farmers to carry their goods to mainland Malawi and are forced to sell in Tanzania where cocoa beans are bought at lower prices.
The proposed radio programmes will target the area of Traditional Authority Mwakaboko which is home to 24,889 people (12,942 male and 11,947 female), primarily the cocoa-growing communities of Kitwika. The people of Kitwika face a number of challenges, including soil erosion and poor infrastructure as a result of heavy floods; the lack of recognition of cocoa as a cash crop in Malawi; how to run their Community Based Organisations (CBOs) effectively; and the exclusion of women from markets despite the key role they play in cocoa production. Twice a week, programmes recorded with the Programme Reference Group representing mainly (but not exclusively) women cocoa farmers of differing age groups, an Agriculture Extension Worker, an NGO representative, and a local CBO leader in Kitwika will be broadcast over a three-month period on local radio station Tuntufye FM Radio, reaching a listenership of 1,650,000 beyond the Kyangonde-speaking people. Interviews with an expert such as the extension worker, NGO member, or researcher will supplement knowledge on the topic. There will be a dedicated phone line for SMS and phone calls and communal listening sessions in three strategic locations to allow listeners to provide feedback. The facilitating radio champion will send notes/recordings of the questions and comments that will be covered in future programmes.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Access to radio based agricultural extension services for cocoa farmers in Karonga for healthier trees and increased production.
Increased recognition of, and adoption of, cocoa as an alternative profitable agricultural value chain in Karonga District.
Enhanced voice of women in the community-based organisations and in the marketing of cocoa.
LOCATION: Mufulira District, Zambia
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Mixed smallholder farming
CONTACT: Haggai Sikolongo, District Agriculture Information Officer - haggaisinks@gmail.com
Mufulira District in Northern Zambia, bordering DRC, is a mining zone with high levels of unemployment and a large youth population. Farming activities are undertaken out of necessity or a lack of alternative opportunities, and focus on mixed agriculture (largely maize, with growth in more valuable crops such as groundnuts, soybean and sunflowers) and livestock (mainly chickens, goats and fish). Rural infrastructure is poor and there are limited farmer services such as training, bulking and research stations.
The proposed radio programmes will target the 24,000 smallholder farmers (15,000 women and 9,000 men) identified by the District Agriculture Office as requiring support to overcome challenges such as the impacts of climate change, soil erosion, biodiversity loss and high input prices, as well as poor access to the tools, technologies and infrastructure that will make their farming more profitable. Weekly programmes recorded with two Farmer Programme Reference Groups representing the 17 agricultural camps in the district will be broadcast over a six-month period on local radio station Yours FM in the Bemba language, reaching a potential listenership of 200,000 people. Agriculture, livestock and cooperative officers will attend the programme recordings to supplement the farmers’ own knowledge with technical advice, and agro dealers will be invited to provide information on accessing inputs. Listeners will be invited to call or message the radio station with feedback and questions, which will be incorporated into future episodes of the programme, and 10 radio listening clubs will be established in different locations so that farmers can listening communally and discuss their learning.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Agricultural policy and planning become more responsive to the needs and interests of smallholder farmers
Farmers increase their knowledge and adoption of agricultural practices and technologies that will enhance yields and quality of produce on crops
Farmers increase their knowledge and adoption of livestock management practices that will improve animal health and productivity
Farming is promoted as a desirable and valuable business activity, particularly to young people
Farmers increase their knowledge of and access to more lucrative markets for their produce
LOCATION: Narok and Kajiado Counties, Rift Valley, Kenya
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Income diversification and market access for Maasai communities
CONTACT: Michael Sayo, Founder and Director, MANDO - michael@mandomaasai.org
The Narok and Kajiado counties of the Rift Valley in Kenya are small communities with poor infrastructure and terrain with mostly red soil. Farming activities are undertaken as a subsistence activity and focus on growing green beans and keeping livestock.
The proposed radio programmes will target Matonyok farmers growing green beans in Narok and Kajiado Counties who require support to overcome challenges such as food insecurity, lack of information, and market access and connectivity. Weekly programmes recorded with a Programme Reference Group from the Kajiado and Narok Counties will be broadcast over 6 months on local KBC station Nosim FM and a monthly podcast in Maasai, Swahili and English languages, reaching a listenership of 80,000 people. The programme will work with the Ministry of Agriculture to introduce extension officers in the area to facilitate future training and extension services for the farmers. Listeners will be invited to give feedback through social media, open public meetings in Maasai land called Baraza, and by calling into the radio station. Comments and questions will be integrated into the programme.
The programmes have the following objectives for the target communities:
Increase knowledge sharing amongst farmers on best practices and government support available
Improve market access and transparency
Build a strong community of farmers to generate alternative income streams for the Maasai community, including green bean and livestock farmers
LOCATION: Choma District, Zambia
PROGRAMME FOCUS: More sustainable smallholder livelihoods
CONTACT DETAILS: Maybin Augustine Katungulu, Assistant Station Manager, YG FM - maybinkat@yahoo.co.uk
Rural communities in the Choma District of Zambia are organised and headed by traditional leaders, who are custodians of the land. Farming activities are undertaken out of necessity and a lack of alternative opportunities and focus on mixed agriculture (largely maize, with some growth in more valuable crops such as groundnuts, soybean and sunflowers). Farmers also to keep livestock. including cattle, goats, and pigs. The poor road network is impassable during the rainy season, with collapsed bridges cutting some communities off from others.
The proposed radio programme will target 25,000 small-scale farmers (60% women and 40% men) in the rural villages of Mbabala, Sibanyati, and Singani, who require support to overcome challenges such as the impacts of climate change, soil erosion, reduced milk production, depleted land, biodiversity loss and high input prices, as well as poor access to the tools, technologies and infrastructure that will make their farming more profitable. Programmes will be recorded with the Programme Reference Groups representing the Sibanyanti and Singani alternatively, ensuring women have a 50% representation. These will be broadcast twice weekly over 6 months on Young Generation Radio (YG FM) reaching a listenership of 10,000 people. The District Extension Officer will support the PRG by providing additional technical input and answering farmers' questions. Listeners will be able to provide feedback through communal listening sessions, phone-in programmes, and WhatsApp.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Improve farmer’s knowledge and adoption of crop diversification, environmentally friendly farming and innovative farming practices to increase productivity, value addition and reduce food insecurity
Increase women’s confidence and opportunity to market their crops, which enables women farmers to expand income and decision-making power
Increase farmer’s knowledge of the impacts of climate change, ability to adapt and mitigate their farming, consequently enhanced productivity.
LOCATION: Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Value addition and micro-enterprise development in smallholder agriculture
CONTACT DETAILS: Khosi Kunene, Founder - mandukunene@gmail.com
The Gauteng and Limpopo provinces of South Africa have contrasting socio-economic outlooks with Gauteng as the country's economic hub, whilst Limpopo is mainly rural and peri-urban with agriculture as main contributor. In Gauteng specifically, unemployment forces people into urban agriculture as a means of income. Limpopo’s municipal area is rich in agriculture and supports produce like bananas, mango, macadamia nuts, with small scale cattle farming as well. Many of these farmers rely predominately on the land to feed their families with a little surplus to sell or trade. This sector continues to be characterised by inequality in terms of the distribution of economic assets, support services, market access, infrastructure and income.
The proposed radio programmes will target emerging rural and urban smallholder farmers, with a particular focus on women. Smallholder farmers in South Africa face challenges in accessing the agrifood system, markets, insurance, and with participating in the modern economy. Poor infrastructure and large value-chain participants act as market barriers for many smallholders. Every two weeks, programmes recorded by 12 farmers in the Program Reference Group (identified by partners from The Farmers Council, Bayers, Corteva, Khumo ea Tsebo Advisory Services, and local departments of agriculture) will be broadcast on Jozi FM for the Gauteng audience (listenership of just under 1 million) and Vhembe FM for the Limpopo audience (120,000 listeners) in the language specific to the region. Agricultural experts such as extension officers, veterinarians, and agronomists will contribute their expertise on farming commodities when needed. Listeners will be able to provide feedback through the WhatsApp Group, Facebook, Twitter and the website and questions will be answered a few minutes before the start of the next broadcast.
The programmes will have the follow objectives for the two target communities:
Urban Farmers:
Increase participation in agro-processing knowledge.
Target grain and livestock smallholder farmers for agro-industrial development programs.
Provide information and knowledge on how to create a conducive environment as a strategy of lowering transportation and storage costs.
Rural Farmers
Engage government in identifying extension officers, veterinarians, agronomists that will exclusively serve this community.
Increase farmers knowledge on how to organize themselves according to the crops they grow.
Increase their knowledge about sustainable and organic farming.
LOCATION: Tana Delta Subcounty, Kenya
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Promoting peaceful coexistence between crop and pastoralist farmers in Tana River
CONTACT DETAILS: Fatma Mzee, Director of Operations, Amani Community Center and Vox Radio (formerly Amani FM) - babieshants@gmail.com
The Tana Delta Subcounty, which sits along the Tana River, is one of Kenya’s most significant wetlands and among the largest deltas in Eastern Africa. The county is vast in terrain, making it suitable for the crop farming community and pastoralists that keep large herds of cattle, sheep, and goats - while other communities engage in small-scale fishing. Unfortunately, migratory movements have destroyed crops and caused conflicts between the farmers and pastoralists. Rural infrastructure is very poor for residential communities and natural floods/draughts impede travel and sales in town centres.
The proposed radio programmes will target the community at large, which consists mainly of traditional pastoralists and crop farmers, to overcome challenges such as the impacts of climate change, poor farming practices and infrastructure, lack of access to information or markets due to illiteracy, outdated farming methods that lead to slow productivity, and misinformation concerning the crop-livestock attacks and ongoing conflicts. Weekly programmes recorded with Vox Radio and representatives from both the crop farmers’ and pastoralists' communities will be broadcast over a 12-month period reaching a listenership of 180,000 people.
Amani Community Center and Vox Radio will partner with farmers' groups, the Ministry of Agriculture, and agricultural research institutions that represent crop farmers and pastoralists to ensure that farmers receive all the necessary information they need to prosper. Listeners will be able to give feedback through off air phone and SMS lines which will be noted and answered in the next episode. There will also be three Communal Listening sessions of 5 people that will comprise a youth, two women, a council of elder and a religious leader for 1) the pastoral community, 2) the crop Farmers community, and 3) cosmopolitan communities in the town centre.
The programmes will have the following objectives for the target communities:
Enhance peaceful coexistence between crop and pastoralist farmers in Tana River
Promote economic stability through quality information, communication, and technology
Farmers and pastoralists adapt to the changing weather and climate to enhance crop yields and improve animal health
Farmers and pastoralists adopt modern methods to increase productivity and reduce nomadism
Farmers and pastoralists increase their knowledge of and access to more lucrative markets
LOCATION: Kisumu City, Nyanza Region, Kenya
PROGRAMME FOCUS: Regenerative farming
CONTACT DETAILS: Stephen Tolo, Assistant General Manager, Kajulu Hills Ecovillages - kajuluhillsecovilages@gmail.com
Kisumu City in the Nyanza region of Kenya is known for its water and rail connections making it suitable for trade. The main economic activity is agriculture, land farming, livestock and fishing, but not many grow crops to sell. There are no cooperatives or farmer organisations in the region as agriculture is mostly for household consumption.
The proposed radio programme will target 8,000 smallholder farmers within the Kajulu Hills region (5,000 women and youths, and 3,000 men) who struggle with the high cost of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, poor farming methods, degraded land, poor biodiversity, deforestation, poor harvests and other environmental hazards. Programmes will be recorded with a Programme Reference Group (PRG) consisting of members of the Regenerative Agriculture Network, trained individuals practicing regenerative farming, young people, and two new members who are not familiar with the regenerative concept. These programmes will be broadcast twice weekly for 6-12 months on Sky FM, reaching a listenership of over 30,000 people. Listeners will be able to provide feedback through SMS and direct call. Questions and comments will be responded to by sending SMS directly to their phone numbers, and very technical questions can be answered by experts or after consultations among the PRG.
It is anticipated that the programmes will result in the following outcomes for the target communities:
Improvements in knowledge and practice of regenerative agricultural practices, evidenced by
Decreased use of chemical fertilisers
Decreased use of chemical pesticides
Increased use of organic manure
Increase in the practice of indigenous vegetable seed conservation
Increase in the use of integrated pest management system
Increase in the number of women and youth engaging in regenerative agriculture
Improvement in yields and quality of farm production