Rural Communication Services

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

Radio Programme: Wildfire Management for Sustainable Agricultural Production in Ghana
Rural Communication Services

Every dry season, fires sweep across Ghana’s savannah landscapes—scorching farmlands, destroying forests, and threatening food security. But what if the very communities affected by wildfires hold the key to stopping them? In this powerful radio feature, which is part of the YenKasa Africa Radio Initiative, Radio Savannah, broadcasting in Gurune, shines a spotlight on wildfire management as a vital path to sustainable agriculture. Through voices from the ground—farmers, women entrepreneurs,

New digital technologies boost beekeeping for smallholder farmers and family beekeepers
Rural Communication Services

Beekeeping, or apiculture, is not just a hobby or a side job – it is a vital agricultural activity and essential for food security and biodiversity. Beekeepers, often smallholder or family farmers, play a crucial role in sustaining ecosystems through pollination and ensuring the health of countless crops. The publication Digital Technologies and Solutions for Beekeeping explores how innovative technologies are helping support this vital practice, boosting productivity and complementing

Digital technologies and solutions for beekeeping
Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of the various digital technologies used in beekeeping It addresses common challenges and seeks accessible, preferably affordable, ways to tackle them. The end goal is to introduce beekeepers to the benefits of available digital technologies and offer constructive and practical input, which can help them make better decisions, add higher value, and improve their livelihoods. Innovative technologies for beekeeping have been grouped into three

FAO launches 'Voices for Change' video series to amplify perspectives on family farming
Rural Communication Services

FAO has launched the“Voices for Change” video series,  a collection of interviews and insights from key stakeholders at the Global Family Farming Forum (GFFF), held in October 2024. The GFFF, hosted at FAO Headquarters in Rome, brought together over 400 participants from different regions to discuss policies, innovations, and challenges affecting family farmers. The “Voices for Change” videos capture the essence of these discussions, showcasing the resilience, knowledge, and contributions

Women in Agriculture: Empowering Communities Through Radio
Rural Communication Services

As part of the YenKasa Africa Radio Initiative, Maiyan FM aired an engaging program on Women in Agriculture, produced in Maasai, a local Kenyan language, in collaboration with KENAFF and the Namelok Women Organization in Laikipia County, Kenya. The discussion featured Rosemary Yenko, a community development expert and secretary of Namelok Women Organization, alongside Susan Narinyoki Moisany, an agriculturalist and administrator. They explored women’s economic and social empowerment in agriculture, shedding light on

Digital hubs to bridge rural-urban digital divide in Zimbabwe
Rural Communication Services

In a major push to digitize rural communities, the government of Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is set to establish digital hubs in Bikita and Mhondoro-Ngezi districts under the Fostering Digital Villages Through Innovative Advisory and Profitable Market Services in Africa (FDiVi) project. “The FDiVi project aims to transform agricultural and food systems in rural areas through digital technologies,” said Dowsen Sango, the

Kodon Yiriba amplifies voices for gender equality
Rural Communication Services

Radio Jamana’s program Kodon Yiriba, runner-up for the 2024 Liz Hughes Award for Her Farm Radio, plays a crucial role in addressing gender equality and social issues in Mali’s Koutiala region. This 60-minute weekly program, co-hosted by Ibrahim Dembele and Maïmouna Ouattara, raises awareness on the consequences of sexual harassment and rape, particularly its impact on adolescents and young adults. The program empowers listeners to report incidents to local authorities, fostering

Call for papers: FAO, IAMCR announce 2025 Rural Communication Services research award
Rural Communication Services

The Rural Communication (RUC) Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of abstracts for its 2025 conference, which will be held in Singapore from 13 to 17 July 2025, hosted by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University. As part of the conference, IAMCR, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Voice of Kono’s Woman Talk (Tok) : Winner of the 2024 Liz Hughes Award for Her Farm Radio
Rural Communication Services

Voice of Kono is dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and promoting gender equality in the Kono district, Sierra Leone. Their program, Woman Talk (Tok), was selected as the 2024 winner of the recently the 2024 Liz Hughes Award for Her Farm Radio, which recognizes radio programs that address women’s rights and gender equality in their communities. The goal of Woman Talk (Tok) is to address the everyday challenges faced by women and children,