Interactive Radio
MLC Vanguard | Created by Farm Radio International
FRI is an NGO that provides quality radio through existing infrastructure. Over 40 years, Farm Radio has cultivated a network of over 1,000 broadcasting partners in 41 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We don’t own radio stations, we don’t equip, operate or finance them. We work with African radio stations to provide the communication services that African farmers, entrepreneurs and rural communities need.
190,000,000 Lives Impacted
Farm Radio International has gathered conclusive evidence that participatory farm radio programming –when it meets standards of quality and consistency – is widely listened to and leads to remarkable gains in knowledge by small-scale farmers, and that specialized, carefully designed programs can lead to uptake of more effective and productive farming practices by up to 48% (on average 21%) of farming families in listening areas. This kind of radio programming can provide tens of millions of small-scale African farmers with vitally important services at a cost of pennies per person reached and as little as $1 per adopter.
Our vision is that every small-scale farmer - young and old, male and female, rural or urban - has constant access to quality interactive radio as an effective and responsive agricultural advisory service. To achieve this, we must explore how to move from a project-dependent model that funds sporadic interactive radio programs on a donor-led project basis for time-limited periods, to Interactive Radio as a sustained, consistent, “always-there” model of digital advisory services, embedded in and supported by local services and stakeholders, that meets farmers’ weekly and daily communication and knowledge-sharing needs.
Specifically, we have measured outcomes and impact which include uptake of improved agricultural, health and nutrition practices by farmers; increased quality of communication services by radio stations; increased support for radio as a valued service by key stakeholder groups including government, business and academia. We use household surveys cross-referenced with census and geographical map data to estimate listenership and impact. These are done to internal peer review standards.
The Innovation
FRI is the only NGO focusing on provision of quality radio through existing infrastructure. We believe the basic direction of development that works is bottom up. True development is driven by local actors. That’s why, over 40 years, we have cultivated a network of over 1,000 broadcasting partners in 41 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We don’t own radio stations, we don’t equip, operate or finance them. We work with African radio stations to provide the communication services that African farmers, entrepreneurs and rural communities need. Now. Farm Radio’s work is all about building, reinforcing and sustaining local knowledge-based services. All our efforts centre on enabling existing local actors to offer quality information, communication and learning programs. Quality means the programs get results for the users. It means the services are sustainable. It means they are gender transformative. It also means they are delivered in collaboration with the people they aim to serve as well as experts and authorities. We know how to do it. We know how to do it quickly. We can measure the results.
Our solution proposes a long term collaborative initiative to reinforce quality communication systems in sub-Saharan Africa to ensure everyone, especially marginalised women and youth, can exercise their rights to information, dialogue and learning about rural livelihoods and health. The only practical way to meet the right of every African -- first and foremost marginalised women and youth -- to information, communication and learning is to use accessible channels and cost-effective methods. For rural Africa today, this means radio and mobile phones. Radio is the cheapest and best way to provide quality extension services for agricultural development and public health. Done well, radio has been proven to work - and it has proven to be the best value for money). Radio is well established, and already reaches over 80% of African households. Quality information and communication services can help women and men farmers make changes that improve their lives and livelihoods. Farm Radio International has developed a range of quality interactive radio services and formats to reach large numbers of rural people and achieve demonstrable changes in practice/behaviour at scale. FRI is developing a suite of mobile phone services to complement interactive radio programs to reach the more remote and marginalised. All our methods and approaches are now remote-led - we can reach remote populations safely - safe for them, for FRI and partners, and for the broadcasters.
Implemented in
Ghana(Africa),Ethiopia(Africa),Burkina Faso(Africa),Malawi(Africa),Senegal(Africa),Nigeria(Africa),Mozambique(Africa),Mali(Africa),Kenya(Africa),Uganda(Africa),Tanzania(Africa)
Get in touch
Karen Hampson
About Farm Radio
Farm Radio International is a Canadian non-profit organization that was founded in 1979 by CBC radio broadcaster George Atkins. The organization is headquartered in Ottawan, Ontario, where it has become the first international non-profit organization to work uniquely with radio broadcasters to improve food security and agricultural methods for small-scale farmers in African countries using communication for development methods.
