Issue #2

Hello to all!

We are very pleased to bring you Issue 2 of Farm Radio Weekly! We are thrilled that more and more people are signing up for this new service of the Developing Countries Farm Radio Network. We extend a very big thank you to our good friend and partner Modibo Coulibaly in Mali for signing up more than 120 Farm Radio Weekly subscribers at a recent radio festival! If you know of others who may be interested in Farm Radio Weekly, please tell them about us. We welcome all radio organizations and individuals who are interested in the information we share, to sign up for a free subscription.

Last week, as world leaders were meeting at a UN conference to decide what they will do about climate change, Farm Radio Weekly staff had a special opportunity to learn how farmers in different parts of Africa are coping with this phenomenon. Experts from Kenya, Mali, and Malawi described some of the changing weather conditions that farmers are facing – rainy seasons that no longer start when they used to, rising temperatures that make soil more difficult to cultivate, and floods in areas where there never used to be floods. They also told us some wonderful stories of farmers working together to share knowledge and seeds in order to make crops grow in these new conditions. We pass on these stories in a news article below.

Other news stories that we bring you this week show other sides of climate change – from a new method to rehabilitate dried up pasturelands, to a weed that thrives on warmer temperatures. We also wanted to keep you updated on two food security threats and how they are being managed – Desert Locusts in Kenya (and beyond) and Rift Valley Fever in Sudan.

Every week, we will strive to bring you information and resources that are current, relevant and accurate. But we need your feedback on whether the information is useful. There are two simple ways for you to tell us what you think:

1) Visit FRW’s online site at: http://weekly.farmradio.org/ and post a comment under an article. Posting a comment is easy. Just click on the link that says “No Comments”, or “1 Comment”, etc, and fill out the comment form. (Please don’t be shy to post the first comment on an article!) We also welcome you to use the comment sections to share other news and information with other rural radio organizations.

2) We also invite you to contact us directly with your thoughts, ideas, and any other information at: farmradioweekly@farmradio.org.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Farm Radio Weekly and look forward to reading your comments!

-The Farm Radio Weekly Team

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African Farm News in Review

1. Africa: Re-discovery of traditional crops helps farmers cope with climate change (Farm Radio Weekly)
2. Indonesia: “Adaptation Fund” on the table at UN Convention (Various Sources)
3. Kenya: Controlled grazing can rehabilitate dry rangelands (Business Daily)
4. Zambia: Control measures target destructive weed (Inter Press Service)
5. Kenya: Government preparing to fight Desert Locusts (Business Daily)
6. Sudan: FAO works to control Rift Valley Fever in livestock (Farm Radio Weekly)

Upcoming Events

- December 18 – Radio 1812 marks International Migrants Day

Radio Resource Bank

- Resource Kit on Women in Micro-Enterprises

- Live from Africa: A Handbook for African Radio Journalists

DCFRN Action

-AFRRI coordinator helps DCFRN network grow in Western Africa
-DCFRN Presses Canadian Government to Take Action Against Climate Change

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Following are some news stories that you might like to share with your listeners. You are very welcome to use them in any way you choose, whether it be to read them directly on the air, adapt them to better suit your audience, or perhaps find ideas for stories you would like to research in your area. If you have an idea for a news story that may interest other radio organizations in the Farm Radio Weekly community, please e-mail FRW editor Heather Miller at hmiller@farmradio.org.

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Traditional crops such as millet, cowpeas, and sorghum can help farmers maintain food security in the face of climate change, experts told Farm Radio Weekly.

Joshua Mukusya is a farmer from the Machakos District of Kenya. Mamby Fofana is a natural resource management officer from Bamako, Mali. And Dr. Rachel Bezner Kerr is a Canadian researcher who spent 10 years working with farmers in the Mzimba District of Malawi. The three gathered in Ottawa, Canada recently as part of a forum on how African farmers are coping with climate change.

All three described how farmers in their areas are turning to traditional crops as rainfall patterns become increasingly erratic.

Crops like maize, which has been promoted since the time of colonial governments, require consistent rainfall. Traditional crops are typically more tolerant of variable rainfall patterns, making them a more reliable source of food.

Joshua Mukusya says that “when you grow millet, you are sure of a harvest.” He used to grow mostly maize on his seven-acre farm. Now he grows a variety of crops, including millet, cassava, and vegetables such as carrots and kale.

Mr. Mukusya says that millet is more reliable than maize because it is resistant to drought and does not attract weevils, a common maize pest. He also offered cowpeas as an example of a traditional crop that provides food security because it grows very quickly. After only two weeks of rain, you can eat the leaves of cowpeas. After a month, the peas themselves can be harvested. By contrast, maize can take more than eight weeks to grow.

Thousands of farmers in three districts of Kenya now take part in a movement begun by Mr. Mukusya to share traditional crop knowledge and seeds of traditional crops. He says he now feels more confident that his family will always have enough food.

Mamby Fofana comes from the Sahel, a region where farmers have long coped with a fragile climate prone to drought. He says that resilient traditional crops are growing in importance as rainy seasons are becoming more difficult to predict.

Traditional seeds are resistant to drought because they have adapted to regional soil and climate conditions over time, Mr. Fofana explained. He works with an NGO that encourages farmers to contribute their best traditional seed varieties to be multiplied and shared in community owned and operated seed banks.

Interest in re-discovering and sharing traditional seeds is also growing in northern Malawi, said Dr. Rachel Bezner Kerr. She works with farmers in the Mzimba District who mostly grew maize on their small plots of land.

Thousands of farmers in this district have recently begun intercropping legumes such as pigeon peas and groundnuts alongside their maize. There is also a movement among the farmers to bring back other traditional crops such a millet and sorghum. The farmers want to re-discover the crops that their grandmothers grew, Dr. Bezner Kerr said.

Many of these traditional crops bring added benefits, say the experts. They strengthen and fertilize the soil and can provide cover to other crops

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An “Adaptation Fund” to help developing countries cope with climate change is on the agenda at a United Nations convention taking place this week in Indonesia.

Representatives from more than 180 countries are meeting to negotiate a plan to address climate change. Yvo de Boer is the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He says that one of the goals of the meeting is to put the Adaptation Fund into action.

The concept of an adaptation fund was developed 10 years ago as part of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. In essence, the idea is to collect money from the world’s richest countries, which contribute most to climate change, to support activities designed to mitigate the negative effects of climate change in developing countries.

In particular, the adaptation fund is intended to protect and rehabilitate areas affected by drought and desertification, particularly in Africa, as well as to help island and coastal countries cope with rising sea levels.

To date, some 67 million US dollars, or 45 million Euros, has been collected for the Adaptation Fund, but no money has been distributed. Representatives from some developing countries, along with several NGOs concerned with international cooperation, are pushing for a mechanism to finance the Adaptation Fund consistently, and ensure that it is used.

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Farmers in the Laikipia District of Kenya are testing a simple and practical method of rehabilitating dry rangelands. The new strategy makes use of livestock’s ability to plough and fertilize pasturelands while they graze.

A 300-acre community ranch is home to a pilot project aimed at boosting the land’s fertility by carefully controlling the grazing of some 1,000 cattle and goats.

High concentrations of livestock are “bunched” together in small areas of pasture where their hooves break up soil and their manure provides fertilizer. This preparation makes the land more receptive to seeds that are dropped in the manure. It also helps the land absorb rainfall – a scarce resource in the Laikipia District.

When rain comes, the “bunched” animals are moved to a new plot, allowing pasture grasses to thrive on the previous plot.

The strategy was brought to the area by an American NGO called Holistic Management International. The organization promotes several methods which it calls low-tech solutions to climate change, both in the United States and in developing countries.

Ultimately, the goal of the controlled grazing process is to reclaim lands that have been degraded due to changing weather patterns and overgrazing. More fertile pastures should lead to healthier and better-fed livestock and a better livelihood for livestock owners.

While the project in Laikipia District is in the pilot phase, many community members have visited the ranch to obtain information on this method of land rehabilitation.

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Control measures are underway to attack an invasive weed that has reportedly taken over almost 3,000 hectares of pasture in one of Zambia’s wetland areas, known as the Kafue Flats.

Originally from Mexico, the Mimosa pigra weed thrives on the fringes of floodplains and near dams. In the Kafue Flats, these same conditions have traditionally fostered the growth of indigenous plants that provide pasture to livestock and wild animals. But since the 1980s, Mimosa pigra has covered more and more pasture with dense thickets.

Highvie Hamududu is a member of parliament who represents part of the area affected by the weed. He said that urgent action is needed to keep grazing lands accessible to animals.

It is believed that a steady decrease in rainfall in the Kafue Flats has promoted the growth of the weed by limiting seasonal flooding. The construction of dams on either end of the floodplain has also made conditions more favourable to the weed.

Once the weed is established over a large area, intensive measures such as aerial spraying of herbicides are needed to curb or reduce its spread. A coalition of parties concerned about Mimosa pigra’s spread in the Kafue Flats says it cleared 100 hectares of the weed this year and plans to clear 1,000 hectares over the next two years.

Mimosa pigra is considered one of the world’s most invasive species, and has created problems for herdsmen in many countries. Ethiopia, Ghana, and Uganda have all faced the challenge of controlling the weed.

Fortunately, small infestations are relatively easy to control. Farmers and herdsmen can dig up individual plants and burn them, taking special care to remove as much of the root structure as possible. The area where the weed was found should be checked regularly for re-growth.

Mimosa pigra is a thorny shrub that grows between two and six metres high. It has green stems that become woody as it matures and fern-like green leaves that fold together at night or when touched. The Mimosa pigra flower is pink-purple in colour and 10 to 20 millimetres wide.

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The Kenyan government is preparing to use up to 10,000 litres of pesticides in an effort to control Desert Locusts, which are threatening crops and pastures in the country’s northeast.

Small swarms of Desert Locusts began attacking crops and pastures in the Mandera District last month. But a greater threat is posed by the eggs laid by these swarms, which are expected to develop into wingless hoppers this week.

Agricultural officers reportedly plan to attack the new wave of locusts in the hopper stage, before they develop wings and begin to swarm. As many as 30 vehicles and three aircraft will be used in the spraying campaign.

Herdsmen in the Mandera and Kalala districts of Kenya were warned last week to move their flocks out of the area so that they would not be exposed to the pesticides.

Romano Kiome is the permanent secretary in Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture. He said the ministry is determined to combat the pest which could be devastating to the livelihoods of affected communities. Desert Locusts can destroy crops and pasturelands very quickly as adults eat as much as their own weight in vegetation each day.

Desert Locust swarms are also threatening the Tokar Delta region of Sudan, on the Red Sea coast.

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The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is working with authorities in Sudan to prevent the spread of Rift Valley Fever among livestock in eastern parts of the country.

More than 160 people have died in the current outbreak of Rift Valley Fever. Experts say that by the time the disease reaches humans, it is usually well-established in animal populations such as cattle and sheep. Humans can become infected when they handle infected animals, or the blood or tissue of infected animals. Mosquitoes can also transmit the disease from infected animals to humans.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is supporting Sudan’s efforts to test and quarantine animals in high-risk areas. These include areas where there have been human cases of Rift Valley Fever, where livestock have shown signs of the disease, or where there are high concentrations of mosquitoes or other insects that can spread the disease.

The most obvious signs of Rift Valley Fever in livestock are death of young animals and spontaneous abortion, as most pregnant animals who contract the disease will abort their fetuses.

The World Health Organization has advised people who handle sick animals or slaughter animals to wear protective equipment, including gloves and masks. People are also advised to guard against mosquito bites.

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Each week, we will use the Notes to Broadcasters section of FRW to share additional information and resources that we came across while researching the News in Review. We will also pass along some ideas on how you could further explore issues from the news at your radio organization. If you have an idea or a resource related to any of this week’s news stories, we invite you to share it by posting a comment on FRW’s online site:http://weekly.farmradio.org/.

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The FRW staff enjoyed an exceptional opportunity this past week, as we heard first-hand stories of African farmers adapting to climate change. Mr. Mukusya, Mr. Fofana, and Dr. Rachel Bezner Kerr were brought to Ottawa, Canada by a coalition of Canadian NGOs that are deeply concerned about how climate change is affecting the livelihoods of farmers across Africa. It was fascinating to learn about the effective (and often simple) techniques that farmers are using to ensure crop production in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

Perhaps you would like to invite farmers in your area to share their experiences of adapting to climate change? Some questions you might ask as part of a call-in show or as research for a news piece are:
-what changes have farmers noticed in local weather patterns over the past several years (e.g. the time that the rainy season starts, the amount of rain that falls, the overall temperature, etc.)?
-have they made any changes to the kinds of crops that they plant or the time that they plant their crops in order to adapt to these climate changes?
-what sorts of soil and water management techniques are farmers using to cope with changing rain and temperature patterns?
-what measures are community groups taking to prepare for natural disasters such as droughts or floods?

If you develop a local news story – or have an idea for a local news story – on the subject of farmers adapting to climate change, we would love to hear about it! Please e-mail FRW editor Heather Miller at hmiller@farmradio.org to discuss how you can contribute an article to News in Review.

There are also a number of Developing Countries Farm Radio Network scripts available on the subject of traditional crops and climate change. For example, you may wish to look at the script Choosing Crops for Drought-Prone Areas (Package 73, Script 3, January 2005) or even The Long Dry Season: A Tale of Greed and Resourcefulness, a 13-part radio drama produced and written by the African Radio Drama Association (Package 77, March 2006). Please also look for a script on fonio, a traditional grain from Western Africa, in the script package mailed to DCFRN’s radio partners this month.

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The article touches on a subject of interest and concern to almost all farmers – the regeneration of land that has become dry and infertile. It is estimated that some 12 million hectares of land become unusable each year. Causes include improper management, such as overgrazing, and climate change.

But as the example of controlled grazing or “bunching” demonstrates, there are practical ways that farmers can protect the fertility of their land, and even reclaim land that has been degraded. This subject was explored in the DCFRN script Villagers use grazing system to protect their land (Package 45, Script 2, July 1997), as well as the radio drama The Long Dry Season: A Tale of Greed and Resourcefulness. You can also find numerous scripts on soil fertility and management by visiting the DCFRN’s online archives, where scripts are sorted by subject: http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/.

You may wish to find examples of what farmers in your area are doing to fight land degradation by:
-inviting farmers to call in and discuss their land management techniques
-speaking to farmers’ cooperatives or other agricultural experts who can explain land management techniques that have proven effective in your area.

For further information on land degradation and rehabilitation, you may find the following links useful:
-the home page for Holistic Management International: http://www.holisticmanagement.org/
-a search function on the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s website, which allows you to find NGOs working on the issue in most countries: http://www.unccd.int/ngo/accreditationDB/search.php .

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The particular weed described in this news article has caused problems for ranchers in all parts of the world, including several African countries. Information on Mimosa pigra’s appearance and how to control an infestation may be very valuable to your listeners if they encounter this weed on their land!

Additional information about Mimosa pigra can be found on these sites:
-a weed management guide for Mimosa pigra produced by the Australian government (includes pictures): http://www.weeds.crc.org.au/documents/wmg_mimosa.pdf-Mimosa pigra’s listing on the Global Invasive Species Database:
http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?fr=1&si=41

Since weed management is always an issue for farmers, you may wish to engage those in your area with questions such as:
-which weeds do they cope with and what methods do they use to manage them?
-what methods do communities use to manage large weed infestations (or other threats to agriculture) that go beyond individual farms?

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The following information was originally included in a special “test run” of Farm Radio Weekly that was sent to a small number of our partners on November 26.
Recent cases of Rift Valley Fever in the central and eastern states of Sudan are the latest outbreak of a disease which can be deadly to humans and financially devastating to livestock industries. Rift Valley Fever was first described in the 1930s, when the disease hit sheep herds in Kenya’s Rift Valley, though it may have occurred earlier. Subsequent outbreaks have affected sheep, goats, cattle, and camels, in addition to humans. Outbreaks have been recorded in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Yemen.
The severity of the disease in humans ranges from mild to severe. In its mild form, Rift Valley Fever causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, joint pain, and headaches, and usually lasts 4-7 days. The disease is frequently deadly in the haemorrhagic fever form that is appearing in Sudan.
Additional information on the disease as it affects humans can be found here:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs207/en/
The impact of Rift Valley Fever on livestock also varies. According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), between 10-70 per cent of infected calves and up to 90 per cent of infected lambs will die, while mortality rates are usually less than 10 per cent among infected adult cows and 20-30 per cent among infected adult sheep. The OIE also reports that abortion rates can be as high as 85 per cent among cows and 100 per cent among sheep infected with Rift Valley Fever.
Additional information on the disease as it affects animals can be found on these sites:
http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/a_A080.htm
http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/rvf.html
A DCFRN script package originally published in April 2002 provides additional information on livestock diseases. The script Animals Diseases can Affect People (Package 63, Script 5), discusses several diseases that, like Rift Valley Fever, can be passed from animals to humans, and how people can protect themselves. You can find this script online, along with A Guide for Broadcasters to Some Important Livestock Diseases (Package 63, Script 1), which includes information on Rift Valley Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease.
-Broadcasters, please note that authorities have asked all media in areas affected by Rift Valley Fever to help inform the public about measures they can take to protect themselves against the disease.
-Rural communities with large livestock populations may wish to discuss the vaccine against Rift Valley Fever that is available for animals, or learn more about early signs of Rift Valley Fever in animal populations, such as unexplained animal abortions.

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This section is a place to share information about events and training opportunities related to agriculture, rural development, or radio broadcasting. If you know of an event or opportunity that may interest other radio organizations, please post a comment on FRW’s website, or e-mail us the details at farmradioweekly@farmradio.org and we will share it in the next issue of FRW.

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All radio stations are invited to participate in a “global radio event” called Radio 1812 by sharing the voices of migrants in their communities. The event is coordinated by the International Advocacy and Resource Centre on the Human Rights of Migrant Workers to mark December 18, the day designated to celebrate the achievements and highlight the struggles of migrants around the world. For more information on how to participate in Radio 1812, as well as audio content related to migrant issues, visit www.radio1812.net, or send an e-mail to radio1812@december18.net.

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Special thanks to Sylvie Siyam, Director of Protégé QV in Yaoundé, Cameroon, a DCFRN partner, for sharing the information below about a resource kit on micro-enterprises! If you have a new or favourite resource to share with other radio organizations, please post a comment on the FRW website or e-mail farmradioweekly@farmradio.org .

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The Commonwealth Connects Program has developed a Multi Media Resource Kit designed to assist radio organizations in preparing programs on the subject of women involved in micro-enterprises. The kit includes detailed information on how to start and operate a micro-enterprise, as well as tips on how to use radio programming to reinforce the capacities of women in micro-enterprises. You can find the resource kit online at: http://www.radiommrk.org/presentation_an.html

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The Institute for War and Peace Reporting has produced this extensive guide to radio journalism, which includes discussion on the role of journalism and practical information on preparing and airing new stories. The full handbook is available online at: http://iwpr.net/pdf/LiveFromAfricaPart1.pdf

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This section is devoted to action news about DCFRN’s many partners. We will also use it to keep you up to date on our programs and other news. When you have news about your organization to share, please post a comment in this section of the FRW website or e-mail farmradioweekly@farmradio.org with news about you!

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