Zambia plants Conservation Agriculture ideas in media
29 October 2010

An estimated 45,000 farming households have been reached by a series of communication initiatives developed by RIU Zambia to spread the word on Conservation Agriculture.

Under a partnership agreement with PANOS, RIU is working with four community media outlets (3 radio stations and 1 magazine): Sky FM in Monze, and Breeze FM, Radio Maria and Kwacha Kum'awa magazine in Chipata.

Victor Makasa, Coordinator of RIU Zambia, said:

"Farmers listen to and participate in radio programmes in various ways and we have produced a variety of different radio outputs. So far this has included eight interactive programmes, 28 direct response recorded programmes and even a radio drama.

These programmes were broadcast to coincide with the peak land preparation period so they were very timely and well received.

We also used Radio Listening and Dialogue Clubs to maximize the impact of the broadcasts with groups of farmers."

There have been print initiatives too. RIU Zambia has worked with the magazine Kwacha Kum'awa (The Magazine that Talks) in Chipata. As a result it increased its quarterly distribution to 1500 copies and it featured seven Conservation Agriculture stories. Eight farmers, four researchers and six other experts have featured in stories in the magazine's ulimi wa gamphani (Conservation Agriculture) column.

RIU Zambia is now looking at ways of making its media programme sustainable into the future.