Rural Communication Services

CABI films fight Fall armyworm

The peace and quiet of 200 villages in Northern Ghana was shattered in May and June this year with the arrival of CABI-sponsored village-based video screenings.  CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International) is an international not-for-profit organization that improves people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment. “We wanted to explore new and innovative ways of getting information to

Using ICTs to get innovations into the hands of farmers

Millions of smallholder farmers in remote areas do not have access to information that will help them with their farming needs.  They are thus denied opportunity to learn and apply improved and efficient agronomic practices that improve productivity and household food security. The Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada, designed a program to increase collaboration between farmers,

The Listening Post: Consulting with farmers

“What change would most help you, your family, and your neighbours earn enough money and have enough good food for the whole year?” a recorded voice on a mobile phone asks Sara Masanja, a woman from Shinyanga Vijijini, a rural area in northern Tanzania. “Dial 1 for more support in farming, fishing and livestock keeping; 2 for training and education; 3 for improved healthcare; or 4 for better roads, electricity,

MP3 recordings bring farm tips in languages farmers in rural areas understand

Rural farmers in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe are generally cut off from vital government agriculture services by virtue of distance. The solution is: cheaply-recorded MP3 podcasts that are bringing awareness of weather, crop prices, or pest control. The problem is that Matabeleland South is one of Zimbabwe´s driest and underdeveloped region. The soil is rocky, agriculture colleges are rare, agriculture technicians shun the vast district, sporadic flooding can ruin crops,