Project Summary

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Between April 2024 and June 2025, 64 unique episodes of the Hausa-language participatory radio programme, Muryan Manoma Ta Radio were broadcast on three local radio stations reaching an estimated 200,000 smallholder ginger and hibiscus producers across Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa states in northern Nigeria.

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Radio programme episodes focused on good agricultural and harvest/post-harvest practices, climate change adaptation, financial and business management and market access, and featured the voices and experience of a selected group of female and male farmers, who came together on a monthly basis with radio station representatives to record programme content. As well as live twice-weekly FM broadcasts a network of 30 farmer Radio Champions facilitated communal listening sessions enabling community members to listen together, discuss the topic at hand, and explore solutions to shared challenges. Listeners had the opportunity to participate in and influence the programme by submitting questions and comments via a phone number or through Radio Champions.

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In a context where geographical isolation is high and literacy levels are low, radio became the most important source of agricultural information for 60% of hibiscus farmers and 85% of ginger farmers. Of the 200+ farmers who participated in the project endline survey, the percentage that reported listening to the Muryar Manoma ta Radio programmes every week was 71% in Jigawa (50% for women), 95% in Kano and 89% in Kaduna. All those who listened felt that applying knowledge learned from the radio programmes had improved their hibiscus and ginger production and 95% of respondents said the same for their overall household income.

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Impact

Improvements in hibiscus production:

• Uptake of pruning – the proportion of farmers who had pruned their hibiscus plants at least once in the past year increased from 50% to 97% in Kano and from 27% to 96% in Jigawa.

• Improved drying practices – use of raised tables/racks increased from 4% to 40% of farmers in Jigawa, with only 4% of women now drying hibiscus on the bare ground compared to 53% previously.

• Improved packaging – 75% of women and 96% of men in Kano showed awareness of the need to use clean, airtight, moisture-proof bags. Almost all farmers in Taura, Jigawa, are now using ‘agro sacks’.

• Increase in yield – average production volumes in Kano grew by 50% amongst both men and women. In Jigawa, yields were impacted by severe floods in July and August 2024, preventing comparison.

• Introduction of value addition in some areas – in Gagawara, Jigawa, 42% of female and 32% of male respondents have started to sell some of their hibiscus as a tea.

 

Improvements in ginger production:

• Improved drying practices – the proportion of farmers who dry their ginger on a clean bag or mat rather than the bare floor increased from 21% to 76% of women and from 31% to 43% of men.

• Greater knowledge of good post-harvest practices – 56% farmers are now able to name at least four recommended practices for quality ginger production, including use of a clean, sharp knife.

• Recovery of yields and income – average production volumes and income increased by 100% for men and 200% for women compared to 2023, when harvests were hit hard by a ginger blight outbreak.

• Closing of gender gap – women’s reported average yield is now on a par with their male counterparts (1,200kg/ha) whereas in previous years this has been half or less. Increases in knowledge and adoption of good practices is higher for women than men across almost all areas of practice.

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Good agricultural practices for climate change resilience:

• Adoption of climate smart practices – 100% of survey respondents in all locations are now using at least five recommended practices compared to 20% in Jigawa, 40% in Kano and 25% in Kaduna at baseline. These include minimum tillage, mulching, intercropping and rainwater harvesting.

• Increased knowledge of methods to improve soil fertility – over 70% can now name three, including not burning organic waste, avoiding chemicals and composting, compared to just one at baseline.

• Reduction in tree felling for firewood – those who never do this increased from 16% to 60% in Kaduna and from 30% to 60% in Kano. Over 70% of farmers can name at least three reasons to avoid deforestation, emphasising soil erosion, risk of flooding and a loss of soil fertility in particular.

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Financial and business management:

• Uplift in record-keeping – the proportion of farmers keeping both financial and production records has tripled to over 80% in Kano and over 90% in Kaduna. There was a smaller but still significant increase in Jigawa from 5% to 33% of women and from 16% to 65% of men.

• Increased use of business planning – 80% of ginger farmers, 60% of hibiscus farmers in Kano and 40% of hibiscus farmers in Jigawa now have business plans in place, an increase of at least 50%.

• Access to financial services – the proportion of farmers holding bank accounts has increased, particularly amongst women hibiscus producers (from 0% to 38% in Jigawa and 37% to 80% in Kano).

• Understanding of value – following extreme losses in 2023, ginger farmers have adopted a more cautious approach to marketing their produce with less than 50% now selling ‘all’ or ‘most’ of the ginger they produce immediately, compared to 84% and 63% respectively at baseline.

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A selection of case studies is available to view and download here. 

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Case study: Rashida, Hibiscus Farmer and Muryan Manoma Ta Radio programme listener

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My name is Rashida and I am living in Kawari Community located in Taura Local Government in Jigawa State. I am 38 years old and I am a married woman with five children. I am engaged into businesses like farming especially hibiscus, rearing of animals and also a petty home trader (such as spaghetti, detergents, sugar etc.). In farming aspect those days, women don’t really consider farming as a business, and we don't know to farm on our own. But as a result of the radio pogramme this has changed.

 

I got information regarding this radio programme through my husband. When he's listening to it time to time at home, we sit together and listen to the programme from Sundays to Tuesdays. If he is not around he leaves the radio behind for us so that the whole family, friends and neighbours will gather in our home to listen.

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Alhamdulillahi, I have acquired so many knowledge and skills because in those days I don't know how to farm on my own as a woman but because of this program we can be able to rent farmland. And after harvesting I realise that burning of farm waste is totally wrong but rather it should be transformed into compost for further use.

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The most important change I observed is on pest and diseases management because last year my plant undergoes pest pressures resulting to poor yields and stunted growth, and even our elders have no solution for such incident. Through this programme, I learnt different ways on how to control the problem of pest and diseases without spending too much, using organic substances such as Neem Oil, liquid extract from the leaves which serves as fertilizer and also pesticides. By God’s willing, after spreading it on the plant, I discovered that the pests are gone and the farm will be in good condition.

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In terms of planting, I learnt about spacing of seeds and knowing the exact amount of seeds per hole. Before, I planted seeds randomly without knowledge, planting seeds over in one place or very close to each other thinking it was the best way. I also learnt about pruning which makes the hibiscus healthier, promoting growth and enhancing appearance by removing unwanted leaves so that it yields better.

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With this programme, I achieve a lot of things in such a way that I am able to help myself without waiting for someone’s assistance and other people including my family members because it has really impacted in terms of my source of income which has increase a lot compared to my previous earnings.

The communal listening session is one of the better ways where we come together to share our knowledge, advice and solutions to some of the identified problems most of us faced during our farming activities. Due to this programme most of the women sees me with more respect because it is usually held in my house, which help them to acquire more knowledge and skills on their farming process. I thank God, even as at now I have noticed a lot of significant changes because a lot of our community members are really happy with this programme related to them.

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We greatly appreciate the Voice of Farmers radio program, but we would like to see it expanded and improved. It would be beneficial if the program could also be aired on television so that we can visually observe the farming techniques being taught. Additionally, having direct phone interactions with the presenters during the show would help us ask questions and receive immediate responses. This would make the program more engaging and beneficial to the community.