We are extremely excited that Farmers’ Voice Radio features in this amazing film developed by UPGro. UPGro is the acronym for Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater for the Poor and has been a seven-year international research programme (2013-2020), funded by the Department for International Development, Natural Environment Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council. Nearly 200 of the world’s best researchers from more than 50 organisations across Africa and Europe have been focused on improving the evidence base around groundwater availability and management in Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal has been to ensure that the hidden wealth of Africa’s aquifers benefit all citizens and the poorest in particular. UPGro projects are interdisciplinary, linking the social and natural sciences to address this challenge. Check out the full film here.
“Weekly radio programmes were aired, covering topics such as rainfall, local market information and groundwater. Farmers and community members determined the content of the radio shows and experts responded to their questions. As a result, people formed a better understanding of groundwater and its management. Communication, when done the right way, can reduce vulnerability.”
Farmers’ Voice Radio was a key part of the UPGro project in northern Ghana ‘Building Understanding of Climate Variability into Planning of Groundwater Supplies from Low Storage Aquifers in Africa’ (BRAVE). The BRAVE project provided evidence-based mitigation and adaptation policies and developed water demand scenarios to inform the modelling, based on current domestic, agricultural and productive use needs, set within the context of the groundwater-based irrigation schemes in the River Volta Basin. As part of this research, it was found that access to relevant, timely and actionable information is fundamental to ensuring that rural communities can adapt and thrive. Farmers’ Voice Radio’s participatory and engaging approach increased understanding about how drought and flood-prone communities are experiencing climate change. More importantly, the weekly radio programmes provided a platform for the exchange of information on successful resilience strategies between farmers and rural communities.
If you would just like to see a snapshot of where Farmers’ Voice Radio fitted in to the project, check out this shorter clip.