Since the 1960’s, the government of the republic of Zambia through the National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) has been disseminating agricultural information using mass media especially radio. The NAIS has radio listening groups called Radio Farm Forum (RFF) found throughout the country. The objective is to enable farmers and their families to listen to agricultural programmes in groups of forums, to discuss the idea, make their own decisions and secure the help and cooperation of the extension officers to implement their own decisions. It is therefore appropriate that the motto of this programme is based on “Listen, Discuss and Act”. This arrangement of RFF is aimed at supplementing the efforts of the agricultural camp extension officers who are the frontline extensionists who may be absent in some camps and where available may not have enough resources to effectively and fully execute their duties.
Recently(20-23 September, 2010) the NAIS crew undertook a tour to Kasama District of the Northern province of Zambia to monitor the activities of the RFF that are currently receiving the support of the International institute for Communication and Development (IICD). In all the four groups visited, it was established beyond no doubt that radio is still the most treasured tool used by rural communities is getting agricultural information for decision making. Here are some highlights of the visit:
1. Safwa RFF: This group situated 80 km from Kasama along Lusaka- Kasama road and has 24 members. The group meet every Monday to listen to the Bemba radio programme called “Ilyashi Lya ba Limi” produced by the NAIS and broadcast on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) radio 1. The group is full of enthusiasm and hungry for information. The past two months the group was deprived of the programme due to none availability of the radio signal. The signal has however, been restored. In addition to radio farmers can also communicate using the Zain cellphone but at a cost. The group is crying for a ZNBC TV signal so that they can also see what is happening in the world. So whilst, the world is said to have become one village, the people of the area are still miles apart from it.
2. Chitoshi RFF: This is a twelve member group situated along Luwingu road, West of Kasama town. This group is not very much united and their meeting are irregular. It is nearer the main town and it situated in a big village that has almost all the infrastructure such as big school, clinic and a good road network. The village is also said to be home village for the current paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people. Politically, it is an active community. Maybe these could be some of the reasons why the group is lesser dependant on radio.
3. Chilongoshi RFF: This 12 member group situated about 80 km North East of Kasama along Mporokoso road. The group is insired by a very active energetic and hard working Agricultural Assistant Officer (AAO). The meets every Monday for the radio programme. Many innovations leant through the radio have been adopted with the assistance of the AAO. Recently, the group leant on radio on how to grow Moringa crop. Working with the AAO, the group managed to find Moringa seeds and today, every member has atleast a Moringa tree at his/her farm. The Mp3 insert that has been attached is an interview in Bemba on Compost manure making that the group has engaged in.
4. Twande RFF: An 18 member group located about 85 km north of Kasama along Mbala/ Kasama road near Ngoli area. The group is headed and inspired by the village headman. Most of the members are still young with a lot of potential just like the Bemba adage which says’ Imiti ikula empanga’(Youths are the future leaders) so to say. The area has no AAO and farmers really have nowhere to run to for technical information. The group heavily depends on radio. A good number of technologies have been learnt through the radio and most of them have been implemented. Last farming season the group initiated a group Cassava field after learning on radio. This year the group has engaged in ‘Winter’ maize production. What the group does is that after listening to a programme on the radio adopt it as a group through group projects. Upon perfecting as a group, each individual member adopts individual projects. The insert attached reflects the joys and enthusiasm that the group has.
From these few experiences, there is no doubt that radio is indeed an agent for change for rural communities and at no time should we underestimate it.
Contributed by: Christopher Mbewe-NAIS
Recently(20-23 September, 2010) the NAIS crew undertook a tour to Kasama District of the Northern province of Zambia to monitor the activities of the RFF that are currently receiving the support of the International institute for Communication and Development (IICD). In all the four groups visited, it was established beyond no doubt that radio is still the most treasured tool used by rural communities is getting agricultural information for decision making. Here are some highlights of the visit:
1. Safwa RFF: This group situated 80 km from Kasama along Lusaka- Kasama road and has 24 members. The group meet every Monday to listen to the Bemba radio programme called “Ilyashi Lya ba Limi” produced by the NAIS and broadcast on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) radio 1. The group is full of enthusiasm and hungry for information. The past two months the group was deprived of the programme due to none availability of the radio signal. The signal has however, been restored. In addition to radio farmers can also communicate using the Zain cellphone but at a cost. The group is crying for a ZNBC TV signal so that they can also see what is happening in the world. So whilst, the world is said to have become one village, the people of the area are still miles apart from it.
2. Chitoshi RFF: This is a twelve member group situated along Luwingu road, West of Kasama town. This group is not very much united and their meeting are irregular. It is nearer the main town and it situated in a big village that has almost all the infrastructure such as big school, clinic and a good road network. The village is also said to be home village for the current paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people. Politically, it is an active community. Maybe these could be some of the reasons why the group is lesser dependant on radio.
3. Chilongoshi RFF: This 12 member group situated about 80 km North East of Kasama along Mporokoso road. The group is insired by a very active energetic and hard working Agricultural Assistant Officer (AAO). The meets every Monday for the radio programme. Many innovations leant through the radio have been adopted with the assistance of the AAO. Recently, the group leant on radio on how to grow Moringa crop. Working with the AAO, the group managed to find Moringa seeds and today, every member has atleast a Moringa tree at his/her farm. The Mp3 insert that has been attached is an interview in Bemba on Compost manure making that the group has engaged in.
4. Twande RFF: An 18 member group located about 85 km north of Kasama along Mbala/ Kasama road near Ngoli area. The group is headed and inspired by the village headman. Most of the members are still young with a lot of potential just like the Bemba adage which says’ Imiti ikula empanga’(Youths are the future leaders) so to say. The area has no AAO and farmers really have nowhere to run to for technical information. The group heavily depends on radio. A good number of technologies have been learnt through the radio and most of them have been implemented. Last farming season the group initiated a group Cassava field after learning on radio. This year the group has engaged in ‘Winter’ maize production. What the group does is that after listening to a programme on the radio adopt it as a group through group projects. Upon perfecting as a group, each individual member adopts individual projects. The insert attached reflects the joys and enthusiasm that the group has.
From these few experiences, there is no doubt that radio is indeed an agent for change for rural communities and at no time should we underestimate it.
Contributed by: Christopher Mbewe-NAIS
