Abalo Gérémie Kadanga embarked on a career in radio fueled by a passion to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities in Togo. Initially drawn to journalism during high school, where he served as an information officer, he became acutely aware that local radio stations were not adequately representing the concerns of groups like farmers, youth, and women. This realization inspired him to pursue a career in journalism to give a voice to those neglected communities.
After participating in the Media Club of a project focused on children’s rights, Mr. Kadanga’s dedication to broadcasting led him to join Radio Cosmos Sotouboua in 2020 as a journalist and permanent team member. Despite receiving offers from larger stations in major cities, he chose to stay with the station, motivated by his commitment to his local audience in Sotouboua. His connection to his roots deepened as he earned a journalism degree to enhance his ability to serve his community effectively.
Mr. Kadanga’s expertise lies in agricultural reporting, building on his experience as a farmer’s son, which provides him with valuable insights into rural practices.
He hosts shows on youth health and agriculture. One agricultural program is produced with the Technical Advisory and Support Institute of Togo. The other, Haraow Tom, focuses on promoting good agricultural practices, featuring discussions with experts, co-operative members, and farmers.
The main challenge facing farmers in his region is profitability. Through various programs, Mr. Kadanga tries to address this by providing valuable information on various agricultural techniques and strategies to improve profitability for farmers in his region. He offers guidance on selecting the right crops, managing agricultural practices, and optimizing sales and distribution channels. An episode on the soybean and groundnut value chain led to increased yields for farmers who followed the programs’ advice.
Mr. Kadanga actively engages his audience through street interviews, live call-ins, a dedicated WhatsApp group, and by soliciting direct feedback, ensuring his radio broadcasts are both responsive and relevant to the community’s needs. Women figure prominently in his programs.
Listeners appreciate his inclusive approach. Regular feedback includes expressions of gratitude for practical agricultural advice and the entertaining nature of the shows.
He appreciates FRI’s impact on his skills, citing continuous support, resources, and rigorous training. He actively participates in FRI training sessions. Mr. Kadanga says that his collaboration with FRI has strengthened his dedication to journalistic principles and fueled his passion for serving rural audiences.
Farm Radio International (FRI) is a Canadian non-profit organization specializing in ICT-enabled extension and communication for reaching rural and remote communities at scale in local languages in sub-Saharan Africa. FRI’s core expertise is collaborative, user-focused co-creation of quality information and advisory services, combining radio and mobile phones, other ICTs and face-to-face interaction