Voices Newsletter
March 2008, No. 83
The Work of Farming
Seven out of ten Africans are farmers. But what do farmers actually do? What is involved in the work of farming, the profession and the livelihood of farming?
Farmers sow seeds, fertilize, cultivate and harvest crops, and raise livestock. They also manage pests and water resources, buy and sell crops, treat sick animals and repair tools. Not to mention manage their finances, act as environmental land managers and plan for their family's future. The list of tasks could go on to the end of this page! Indeed, a farmer's job is one of the most varied and challenging on the planet. And the most important! For without food … where would we be?
In package #83, we take a look at some of the myriad aspects of the work of farming. Seven scripts in package 83 consider different aspects of farmers' work. For example, farmers must be aware of their own health and safety, and those of their co-workers or employees, especially when using inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Script #4 provides a series of spots on using pesticides and fertilizers safely, which broadcasters can use as-is or adapt to their local situation.
Farmers are also buyers and sellers. Script #3 talks about a radio program on farm prices, broadcast on MEGA FM in northern Uganda. This and many other farm price programs are helping farmers to hold their own in a demanding and complicated marketplace.
Farmers are financial managers. Script #10 shows how a conscientious farmer makes decisions based on the needs for the next planting season and the needs of his family, while avoiding the pitfalls and temptations that arise from a lot of cash-in-hand.
Farmers' groups or cooperatives can help farmers in many ways. Three scripts – numbers 6, 7, and 8 – consider the many benefits of these organizations. Farmers' groups can improve farmers' incomes, help secure markets for their crops, help them acquire inputs at reasonable prices, help farmers receive a fair selling price, and even influence national policy on agriculture-related issues.
Finally, script #5 looks at the sometimes difficult life of a subsistence farmer, and shows how a new project is helping making the profession of farming a more attractive one for Ugandan farmers, one which is able to compete with new jobs in the service industry.
Many past Farm Radio International (formerly known as Developing Countries Farm Radio Network – for more information see the article on page 8 about our new name!) scripts have focused on various aspects of the work of farming. One way to search for farming-related scripts is to visit Farm Radio International's list of script topics at http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/. If you look at the right hand side of this webpage, you will see a list of script themes. For example, clicking on Food Processing and Storage brings up a total of 37 different Farm Radio International scripts on this topic. Clicking on Livestock and Beekeeping will find you 46! And clicking on Water Management will bring you 30 Farm Radio International radio scripts.
There are many organizations which work on farming issues. Here are a few below:
- The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) supports the work of 15 international research centres, who work with national agricultural research systems, civil society and the private sector for sustainable agricultural growth. You can access the websites of the 15 research centres, which cover a wide variety of agricultural issues, at http://www.cgiar.org/centers/index.html.
- The International Labour Organization (ILO) focuses on the concept of "decent work": "the aspiration of men and women everywhere to obtain productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity." One of ILO's sector themes is agriculture. You can read about their work on agriculture at http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/sectors/agri.htm.
- FARM-Africa aims to reduce poverty by enabling marginal African farmers and herders to make sustainable improvements to their well-being through more effective management of their renewable natural resources http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/programmes.cfm.
- TechnoServe helps entrepreneurial men and women in poor rural areas of the developing world build businesses that create income, opportunity and economic growth for their families, their communities and their countries http://www.technoserve.org/.
- AFRICARE works to improve the quality of life in Africa. Programs address needs in two principal areas: health and HIV/AIDS as well as food security and agriculture http://www.africare.org/.
Special thanks to the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) Social Justice Fund for supporting this script package on the work of farming.
Maternal Health Scripts
In early 2008, Farm Radio International was pleased to receive funding from a former board member, Anne Burnett, to cover the writing of six radio scripts on maternal health issues. It is planned that the six scripts will be split between the current package and package 85 in October/November 2008. Ms. Burnett connected Farm Radio International to Family Care International (FCI), a US-based NGO with a commitment to improving maternal health in the countries in which it works. FCI provided Farm Radio International with a summary of research results from their recent study of maternal health issues conducted in Tanzania, Kenya and Burkina Faso. The findings underline the importance of two issues: careful pre-birth planning, and involvement of fathers in birth planning and decision-making. Based on the research findings, a two-part radio drama or edutainment piece has been crafted for this package, while a three-part audio testimony program (hopefully with an audio component) is planned for package 85. The sixth maternal health script has yet to be determined.
Stay tuned for...
Package 84 (July/August 2008) – African Farmers' Strategies for Coping with Climate Change. The package will feature the 15 winners from the scriptwriting competition coordinated by Farm Radio International and CTA. For more information about the scriptwriting competition, please visit the competition website at http://scriptcompetition.net/.
Welcome new partners!
- African Network for Environmental Journalists – Zambia Chapter – a group of Zambian media personnel dedicated to protecting the environment by raising awareness through print and electronic media. It is based in Lusaka, Zambia
- Radio Pengdwendé – a community radio station based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Radio Rurale Fara'a – a public radio station based in Gaya, Niger
- Volta Star Radio – a regional, public radio station based in Ho, Ghana
- Voice of Teso – a commercial radio station based in Soroti, Uganda
- Zenith FM – a private radio station based in Bertoua, eastern Cameroon
FARM RADIO INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
"Climate Change Adaptation Goes Soap!" - Workshop for new radio drama held in Abuja
A unique group of collaborators ranging from soap opera writers to agricultural scientists gathered for a workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, from Dec 10-18, 2007. The group was brought together by the Nigerian-based African Radio Drama Association (ARDA) as part of a project aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of radio drama as a tool to help smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria adapt to climate change. Project partners include ARDA, Farm Radio International, the University of Guelph, Canada; and the Women Farmers' Advancement Network (WOFAN) based in Kano, Nigeria. The initiative is funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre's Climate Change Adaptation in Africa program.
The project will create a 26-episode radio drama designed to entertain as it educates listeners about methods that smallholder farmers can use to adapt to climate change. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are among the challenges that climate change presents. While weaving a dramatic tale, the radio series will provide practical information on adaptation techniques, such as how to use quick-germinating and fast-maturing grains to obtain the best crop with a short or poor rainfall, methods to preserve and rehabilitate soil, and how to harvest and store water for use during the long dry season. Other messages will include: the need to seek out relevant information on climate change and agricultural adaptations, the importance of environmentally sound farming practices, and methods of community organization and action.
At the workshop held in Abuja, scriptwriters and radio producers from six radio stations in northern Nigeria learned more about how climate change affects smallholder farmers who depend on rain-fed agriculture. The stations that participated in the workshop were Borno State Radio Corporation, FRCN Kaduna, FRCN Kano, Kano State Radio Corporation, Gombe Media Corporation, and Pyramid Radio. The participants also discussed the best ways to use radio drama to capture the interest of listeners – how to profile different segments of the audience, create plots and characters that resonate with different audience members, and how to integrate important messages with the entertainment.
Climate change workshop participants engage in group work.
Along with the scriptwriters and radio producers from stations that will air the drama, participants included audience representatives, University of Guelph professors, and personnel from WOFAN, ARDA, the Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture's Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Borno State project, and the Nigerian Ministry of the Environment. The radio drama, scheduled to air later in 2008, will be recorded in Hausa and Kanuri languages with Nigerian actors and musicians. The drama will be aired in Kano, Kaduna, Borno, and Katsina states. Scripts for the 26-part radio drama will also be translated into English and French and shared with Farm Radio International partners. They will be posted online at www.farmradio.org, where they will be available for use by any interested radio organizations.
This is the second radio drama collaboration between ARDA and Farm Radio International. The first was a 13-episode drama that incorporated information about desertification in a gripping soap opera. Scripts for this drama were originally sent to partners as part of Package 77, in March 2006.
Community Rapid Appraisals completed
Hilda Jambo, Station Manager of Dzimwe Community Radio, interviews a farmer.
The African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI) recently completed the Community Rapid Appraisal (RA) exercise in each of the AFRRI countries (Mali, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Malawi). The RA exercise, coordinated by AFRRI radio station representatives, agriculture research partners, and AFRRI staff, was designed to assess the social, economic and environmental conditions of the communities where AFRRI is working. Four communities for each of the 25 AFRRI radio stations were introduced to the project (a total of 100 communities in the five countries). These communities were led through a series of exercises such as community social and resource mapping, problem tree analysis, seasonal calendars, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, to help gather information in a participatory manner on agriculture practices, demographics, food and nutrition concerns, and major agriculture challenges faced by the community. The RA also looked at radio listening habits, whether or not households owned a radio, and what programs were listened to. The results of the assessment will be used to further develop a baseline study and to develop radio communication strategies for all 25 AFRRI stations, based on the challenges they face and the solutions available within the community.
"It is really not enough to be a good broadcaster if you do not know community issues and I thought I already knew what small holder farmers do experience and the situation of agriculture and radio listenership in the communities but this training has shown me that I was just pretending and I am ready to use these skills to know more about our communities. I thank AFRRI for building my capacity since these skills will go a long way in my career life" – Radio station representative in Malawi.
Don't miss your chance to subscribe to Farm Radio Weekly!
Farm Radio Weekly (FRW) is a new service of Farm Radio International offered to African radio organizations with email access. FRW is a weekly electronic compilation of news and information about agriculture and other topics of interest to listeners of African rural radio broadcasters. FRW provides a weekly synopsis of relevant agricultural and rural news, information about and links to archived Farm Radio International scripts that are relevant to current events and issues, information about training opportunities and forthcoming events of interest to broadcasters, links to relevant websites, and information on best practices from other stations.
To sign up to receive this weekly news service and to read past issues, go to http://farmradio.org/english/weekly/ and click on the button in the top left that says "Subscribe now to Farm Radio Weekly for Free!!!"
HARNESSING NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR FARM RADIO
By: Mark Leclair
While radio is by far the most accessible and available form of information and communication technology (ICT) for the majority of people in rural Africa, new ICTs present an opportunity to extend the reach and interactivity of broadcasts. This article presents some new ICTs that could be of use to broadcasters.
Text-messaging (SMS)
The overwhelming popularity of mobile phones in Africa offers a direct link between broadcasters and their audience which can enhance interactivity. Short message service (SMS), also known as "text-messaging," can be a very useful tool in communicating with an audience in a two-way fashion. Like a phone-in show, texts can be used by farmers to ask questions about previous broadcast topics. Broadcasters in some countries can even make use of internet-based bulk text message services (http://bulksms.2way.co.za/, http://www.eztexting.com/) to send out information about radio broadcasts to the listening population. Imagine sending out alerts about market prices for crops or to warn audiences of severe weather events!
Wikipedia and Blogs
Wikipedia has been taking the world by storm, showing us what is possible when people collaborate to post and edit information on the web. A wiki-based webpage offers opportunities to learn from and adapt the wealth of information held by farmers and radio broadcasters. Blogs could be used to keep listeners updated on information already broadcasted, and give access to radio scripts used on air. To see an example of a blog with local agricultural content visit: http://celac.wordpress.com/.
Digital Broadcasting Technologies
Airing digital audio files such as MP3s is technically straightforward and allows broadcasters to use radio broadcasts which are available online. Similarly, portable MP3 players with voice recording capabilities can allow the production of in-the-field interviews, which can be easily transferred to computer and broadcast on FM channels. "Pod-casting," downloading and audio streaming have become popular ways of creating lasting content for the listening audience by making radio programs available online. The following organizations have audio files on different topics available on their websites:
- Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA)
- West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR)
- CTA – Rural Radio Resource Packs
If you have examples of how ICTs are helping you with your radio work, we'd love to hear about it and share it with other radio organizations through FRW and in upcoming issues of Voices. Please send your stories to Blythe McKay at bmckay@farmradio.org (or addressed to her at Farm Radio International's mailing address).
Partner Profile: Dzimwe Community Radio – 93.1 FM
Dr. Spider hosts a radio show at Dzimwe Community Radio.
Dzimwe Community Radio is based in Mangochi in the southern region of Malawi. It was established in 1998 to enhance communication amongst rural communities. Funded by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), it aims to encourage development by facilitating dialogue on community needs and issues in order for people to identify appropriate solutions. Several of the issues the radio station addresses are of particular interest to women and help to provide them with a voice. These issues include improving health, gender-based violence, income generation activities such as farming, sustainable utilization and conservation of natural resources, and safe motherhood. The station has 15 radio listening clubs which provide feedback on programming.
Dzimwe Community Radio covers almost the entire District of Mangochi and parts of Ntcheu, Dedza and Balaka Districts. It has a radius of 150 km. Dzimwe Community Radio broadcasts its programs from 5:55am to 10:00pm daily. The majority of people in the area rely on farming and/or fishing for their livelihoods. Crops grown in the area include maize, groundnuts, millet, sweet potatoes, cassava, cotton, tobacco, vegetables and fruit.
Hilda Jambo runs the station, and receives support from an assistant supervisor and a Board of Directors made up of community representatives. Other personnel are all volunteers and include: three program producers, eight presenters and announcers, one driver, one accounts officer, one marketing officer and one engineer.
Food Security Radio Programming at Dzimwe Community Radio
The following three radio programs focus on issues of relevance to smallholder farmers and fishermen:
Ulimi Wokhazikika (Sustainable Agriculture) airs Monday and Thursday between 14:00 and 14:30. The program promotes sustainable smallholder farming practices and food security through dramas, poems, documentaries and interviews. The program also promotes agroforestry practices and encourages growing diversified food crops rather than depending on maize alone.
Tisodze (Fisheries Conservation) airs Tuesday and Saturday from 10:30 to 11:00am. The program is aimed at making the community aware of legal and illegal fishing practices. It features issues that are impacting the growth of the fishing industry and leading to over-fishing. The program also highlights alternative protein sources to fish and alternative livelihood strategies to fishing.
Zachilengedwe (Natural Resource Utilization and Conservation) is a program aimed at encouraging sustainable management of resources, including processing of indigenous fruit trees and other wild resources into valuable products. The program has assisted people to introduce guinea fowl rearing, goat rearing, beekeeping and baobab, tamarind and jujube fruit tree juice processing.
Dzimwe Community Radio is one of 5 Malawi radio stations participating in the African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI).
Information Sources
Chapota, Rex (2007) " Assessment of radio stations: The case of AFRRI Malawi." Malawi: African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI).
Manyozo, Linje (2007) "Knowledge Gaps in the Effectiveness of Farm Radio In Africa." Ottawa: African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI).
Information Resources
UNESCO Guide on "How to do Community Radio"
This guide is geared towards community radio operators and provides an excellent primer for the beginner. It includes sections on the concept and practice of community radio, equipment and technical operations, code of conduct and ethics, financial management, and radio programming.
Itrain Multimedia Training Kit (MMTK)
The MMTK provides a comprehensive overview of the linkages between traditional media such as radio and new information and communications technology (ICT). The kit is organized in modules to be used either as a resource for trainers or for autodidactic guide.
OneWorld Online Radio Training Guides
OneWorld has compiled a collection of guides for radio producers on topics ranging from reporting on HIV/AIDS, radio drama production, technical information on microphones and sound for radio, and many others.
Awards/ Funding Opportunities
Southern Africa Media Development Fund (SAMDEF)
SAMDEF's mandate is to provide financial support to independent media within the southern Africa region (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe). To be eligible for funding, you must be a citizen, resident, or partner of a SADC country; your organization must be registered as an independent media entity; and your proposal must show a "prospect of viability." Contact SAMDEF for more information.
Samdef House, Plot 111 Block B, Kgale View
Private Bag BO2 Bontleng Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: (+267) 318 0951, (+267) 318 0952 and (+267) 390 1249
Fax: (+267) 316 1199
Email: admin@samdef.com
Deadline: Rolling
Media Development Loan Fund (MDLF)
The MDLF is a non-profit investment fund for independent news media in emerging democracies with a history of media oppression. MDLF provides capital, in-depth training, and long-term advice and support for media outlets to strengthen their operations. To qualify for funding, your media organization must be private, have been operating legally in its home country for at least a year, and must have an established reputation for promoting democratic institutions and practices and exercising the principles of a free, independent and responsible press. See website or contact info below for full list of criteria and information on how to apply.
37 West 20th Street, Suite 801
New York, NY 10011, USA
Tel: (1 212) 807 1304
Fax: (1 212) 807 0540
Email: mdlf@mdlf.org
Deadline: Rolling
Common Ground Media (CGM) Fellowships
The CGM fellowship seeks to support operations that re-enforce journalistic independence and also simultaneously promote public discussion on the search for common ground. Media Fellows will receive a stipend of US$300 - US$1,000 to research stories that bring new perspectives "on polarising issues or on the concept of common ground" for broadcast or publication anywhere in the world. The size of the grant depends on the journalist's experience, and the geographic reach of the targeted media outlet. The fellowship is open to working journalists from print or radio from anywhere in the world. Applicants must submit 2 samples of work that have been published or broadcast, a 1-page summary of the proposed story that would be produced for the fellowship, and a letter from a news outlet expressing interest in the proposed piece. Contact Gil Kulick for further details.
Gil Kulick
Search for Common Ground (SFCG)
1601 Connecticut Ave, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (+1-202) 265-4300
Email: gkulick@sfcg.org
Deadline: Rolling
Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) Short Story Competition
Deadline: May 1, 2008.
The CBA annual short story competition is open to all citizens of commonwealth countries. There is no age limit and entries can come from either amateur or professional writers. The stories may have any theme or subject, but should not exceed 600 words (which should be 4'30" when read aloud); must be type-written in English; and should not have been previously published anywhere in full or part. Contact CBA for further rules and regulations.
Commonwealth Short Story Competition
Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
17 Fleet Street
London EC4Y 1AA
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7583 5550
Email: story@cba.org.uk
Training Opportunities for Broadcasters
OneWorld Africa Training Centre
From its centre in Lusaka, Zambia, OneWorld Africa (OWA) offers ICT training using modern online and offline teaching aids from industry-experienced trainers versed in current New Media innovations. Their ICT training program is segmented into four program areas: Local knowledge development, Capacity building, IT access and Policy advocacy. OWA ICT training programs can be tailored to the needs of clients; modules include everything from radio digital editing, to program production, to basic Internet browsing and web design. In the past, training sessions have been offered outside of Zambia, in locations such as Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Senegal, Mozambique, Ghana, Swaziland and Congo Brazzaville. Contact OWA for course dates and other info.
OneWorld Africa
Po Box 37011
Lusaka
Phone: 260 211 292740
Fax: 260 211 294188
Email: mwamba.chishimba@oneworld.net
IAJ Summer Academy for African Journalists
The Johannesburg-based Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ) is holding summer workshops in 2008. For more information, contact IAJ by phone at 011 4841765 or email info@iaj.org.za.
WE HAVE A NEW NAME !
For nearly 30 years, Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN) has responded to the communication needs of small-scale farming families in the Global South by supporting broadcasters in developing countries to strengthen small-scale farming and rural communities.
For years, many of our supporters, partners, donors, and volunteers have wondered whether we couldn't make our name a little easier to remember, pronounce, and talk to other people about. Well, we felt the same way. So we conducted some careful research, interviewing and surveying donors, partners, and associates in Canada and Africa, to find out what they thought our name should be. This is what we came up with:
We're very pleased with the new name, and hope that you are too. But new name or old, the mission and strategies carry on.
If you would like to ask any questions or let us know what you think about the new name, please contact us by email at info@farmradio.org or by phone at 1-613-761-3652.
