communication

Meet Djénèbou Traoré: 2024 George Atkins Communication Award winner
Rural Communication Services

Before she became a radio host, Djénèbou Traoré loved listening to Radio Benbakan in Sanankoroba, Mali. She had a passion for radio. Then, in 2006, she decided to get behind the microphone herself. Recently, Mrs. Traoré was recognized for her broadcasting excellence by receiving the George Atkins Communication Award. She is one of three winners for 2024. The George Atkins Communication Award annually honours individual radio broadcasters for their exceptional

Digitalizing agriculture in rural Senegal
Rural Communication Services

Digital tools can help offset uncertainties in weather patterns caused by climate change. In Nioro, Senegal, Mamadou Drame, a father of four children, now looks down at a screen instead of up at the skies to understand the weather and know what to plant. Historical rain cycles have become increasingly unreliable because of climate change, upsetting patterns of planting and harvesting. Thankfully, digital innovations have stepped in, assisting him to

The impact of COVID-19 on women in Sierra Leone and the role the media can play
Rural Communication Services

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Sierra Leone in March 2020, just like it did in Canada. The deadly disease posed a serious threat to women, who are often the primary caregiver in their home, looking after their husbands, children and other relatives.  The media drew from lessons learned during the Ebola crisis, which claimed the lives of many women and children because women were not educated on the disease’s impact on

BLENDED PUBLIC-PRIVATE EXTENSION PROVISION INCREASES FARMER REVENUE IN UGANDA
Publications

This good practice fact sheet aims to share the experience behind an initiative to test and compare different models of extension provision in Uganda. The document highlights the scope for using a mix of private and public service providers to advise and support small-scale producers engaged in Uganda’s vegetable oil sector, and the lessons learned regarding what methods are most effective. It also sets out to explore how this blended

Digital Agriculture: An online mentoring service for small-scale livestock farmers in Benin
Publications

An online advisory and problem-solving service is helping livestock farmers to overcome challenges and increase production in Benin and other parts of West Africa. The private service grew out of a blog written by Louis Agbokou, who works as livestock advisor at a government agricultural agency in Benin. During on- site visits to farms in the districts that he covered, the livestock engineer became increasingly convinced of the need for

Are your radio programmes gender inclusive?
Spotlight

Often, broadcasts are designed on the premise that listenership is uniform. However, the audience is diverse, and programmes, therefore, should be responsive to the different expectations of listeners. Gender inequalities can arise  in the professional practices with radio stations, whether during production process, programming, management, or in the choice of content and people interviewed. Media should put in place mechanisms to ensure that the opinions of women and men, regardless

A manifesto to ensure a voice for farmers in Uganda
Publications

This good practice fact sheet describes an initiative to canvas the views and demands of Uganda’s smallholder farmers on measures required to boost the country’s agricultural performance as a driver of both the national economy and for raising incomes among agricultural value chain players. The creation of a Farmers’ Manifesto, and its presentation to political parties in the run-up to a general election, may be an experience relevant to other

How to create a radio campaign
Publications

A campaign is an organized, time-bound effort to convince institutions or individuals to take specific types of actions, or change their attitudes toward a specific topic in a specific way. Campaigns have specific objectives and usually focus on one major change or action. They can be in the form of radio jingles and interviews, door to door or community gatherings to discuss issues, a series of ads in printed form

Listening to rural people 2022: A Farm Radio International and IFAD initiative
Publications

Over the course of October 2022, Farm Radio International worked with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and 7 African radio stations to facilitate three “On Air Dialogues” with rural people in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso about climate change adaptation. The response was remarkable, with over 14,000 people giving over 122,000 answers to questions and leaving over 9,000 voice messages about climate change adaptation experiences and needs. These dialogues