This year, Farm Radio International is proud to present the George Atkins Communications Award to three passionate broadcasters who have long been dedicated to serving farmers and partnering with Farm Radio International.
The three winners are:
- Ide Carine Tchounga, Radio Medumba, Cameroon
- Seydou Camara, Radio Wassoulou, Mali
- Matilda Amoah, Today’s FM, Ghana
Ide Carine Tchounga started working at Radio Medumba in her village nearly 20 years ago. She started their farmer program, then called “Monde Rural” (Rural World), after reading several Farm Radio Resource Packs. She says: “I decided to take advantage of these packs to create a program for farmers, which was appreciated by the management committee at the station who saw this as an occasion to be closer to the population.” The program is still on air, now with the name “Actualités agropastorale” (Agricultural news), and Mrs. Tchounga continues to serve her farming listeners. She has shared several stories about Radio Medumba in Barza Wire’s Spotlight section and in YenKasa Africa.
Seydou Camara describes himself as a “country lover,” and as the son of a farmer, he knows a lot about agriculture. These qualities help him prepare his radio programs, and particularly to prepare for field visits. Mr. Camara has worked at Radio Wassoulou in Yanfolila, Mali, for seven years, where he is a host. He says, “Naturally, I like to serve people and in my opinion, media is a great way to put into practice this ambition.” Radio Wassoulou has been a broadcasting partner of Farm Radio International for nearly 20 years, and Mr. Camara says he uses our resources to help him with research and to prepare episodes. He is also broadcasting a program as part of our Her Voice on Air project.
Matilda Amoah is a presenter at Today’s FM in Ejura, Ghana, and has been working on the farmers’ program for one year. She grew up listening to the radio, and first appeared on a radio panel in 2016. Following this positive experience, she asked to join the radio team, and her first job was as an English newscaster. She is currently the host of a Farm Radio-sponsored program, and is also a maize farmer. She is proud of her work, saying: “Not only have I been given a voice, I have received a platform as a female farm broadcaster which I have used to encourage and inspire thousands of young people through my weekly programs.”
Each of these accomplished radio broadcasters will receive a certificate and $500 CAD.
This year’s worthy runners-up are:
- Mululi Moses, Radio Kitara, Uganda
- Rifati Jumanne Mgobole, Radio Pambazuko FM, Tanzania
- Helubanchi Enyew, Amhara Mass Media Agency, Ethiopia
- Modeste Shabani Bin Sweni, Radio Sauti ya Mkaaji, DRC
- Bakouan Ouaboué, Radio Manivelle, Burkina Faso
We received many fantastic applications for this award. For those who were not successful, we encourage you to apply again next year.
Stay tuned in the coming months for profiles of all of the winners and runners-up.
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