Rural Communication Services

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

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

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