2025

Behavioural science promotes sustainable and resilient agricultural practices in Zambia
Gender and youth

Villagers have planted maize on two plots of land next to each other. The difference between them is that one is cultivated using the method called ripping, or deep tillage, which uses pointed prongs to break up the soil, allowing it to retain maximum moisture. On the other plot, the regular practice of more extensive, shallower tilling is used. Amid a searing drought in eastern Zambia’s Nyimba region, which left

GHAFFAP CLIMATE RESILIENCE TRAINING WORKSHOP
Gender and youth

The effects of climate change on farming communities cannot be overemphasized. The ravaging impact of unexpected drought spells, low rainfall patterns, heat waves, floods, and high temperatures has drastically reduced local food production. This has led to extreme consequences such as low income levels, poor health, poverty, poor yields, food insecurity, and overall negative impacts on socioeconomic development. To address these challenges, ISRUDEV, with funding support from the FAO’s Forest

Broadcasting better farming: Ms. Charity’s voice for rural communities
Rural Communication Services

When Atuhura Charity was a young girl in Bujenje County, Masindi District, she would sit beside her mother’s radio, listening intently to the weekend dramas and educational programs aired on Bunyoro Broadcasting Services (BBS FM). Today, she works at that very station—BBS 98.2FM in Western Uganda—as a Runyoro-language news anchor, talk show host, reporter, and co-host of the farmers’ program Liima Yorora Lisa Ogaigahale. Ms. Charity joined the media industry in

Rural communication services and inclusive innovation approaches for family farming
Publications

The United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) recognizes communication as a crucial driver in transforming agrifood systems, empowering family farmers through inclusive Rural Communication Services (RCS). Over the past five years, FAO-supported regional initiatives – ComDev Asia, YenKasa Africa, and Onda Rural – have worked to mainstream RCS into family farming policies, fostering participatory knowledge sharing and innovation. This report presents key insights from the 2024 technical seminar held

PROPAC: Study Tour to Senegal for the Promotion of Bread‑making with Local Flours
Gender and youth

From 27 January to 1 February 2025, the Regional Platform of Farmers’ Organisations of Central Africa (PROPAC) took part in a study tour in Senegal. Organized by ASPRODEB, the visit brought together leaders of farmers’ organisations, processors, and bakers to explore Senegal’s successful experiences in incorporating local cereal and tuber flours into bread and pastry production. A Project under the FO4FS Initiative PROPAC is a beneficiary of the FO4FS (Farmers’

Rural women ring in change in West Africa
Gender and youth

Across West Africa, rural women are showing that small-scale agriculture isn’t just the foundation of sustainable global food systems – it’s an avenue for economic, social and political empowerment. Meet three women who are leading their communities towards a more prosperous and equal future. Breaking ground When Anta was growing up, it was customary for young women to leave their homes in Ngoudiane to find domestic work in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Anta

Radio for impact: Hervice Kouassi champions youth and community issues in Côte d’Ivoire
Rural Communication Services

Hervice Kouassi’s journey into broadcasting began not in a studio, but at the heart of his rural village in Côte d’Ivoire. Growing up in a family of farmers, Mr. Kouassi was drawn to radio, which was the primary source of information and entertainment for his community. His passion for this medium took root early, shaping the course of his career. After completing his Baccalaureate, Mr. Kouassi’s parents initially urged him

Broadcasting for change: How Salisu Hamza empowers farmers in Nigeria
Rural Communication Services

Salisu Hamza is a radio broadcaster with over a decade of experience at Globe FM, part of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, located in Bauchi State. Driven by a deep passion for radio, Mr. Hamza has built a successful career, dedicated to educating and empowering rural communities and small-scale farmers. His broadcasts have made a meaningful impact, providing vital information on agriculture and livestock management. For the past ten

Global Call for Stories: Family farmers at the heart of climate-resilient and sustainable agrifood systems
Resilience and climate change

Sharing and learning from the experiences of individuals and organizations driving positive change is critical to advancing the agricultural sector towards greater sustainability. All over the world, there are thousands of stories of distinctive work carried out anonymously by family farmers, including women and youth, on successful transitions to more inclusive, sustainable and fair food systems. Those stories are based on co-creation and sharing of traditional knowledge and innovations that

Radio Programme: Reforestation and Forest Restoration in Madagascar's Diana Region
Rural Communication Services

In Madagascar’s Diana Region, the OPFA Union Matanjaka is spearheading a vital reforestation programme aimed at restoring forest landscapes and strengthening local livelihoods. Produced by the Réseau SOA and OPFA Union Matanjaka, and broadcast in Malagasy across four key radio stations—Radio Varatraza, Radio Anivorano, Radio RLA Ambilobe, and Radio MAZAVA Ambanja—this radio feature is part of the YenKasa Africa Radio Initiative. It highlights how rural communities are regenerating the environment