Issue #72

This week we welcome new subscribers Euloge Aidasso from Democracy Radio in Benin and Dewah Maureen Yetla from Lake Site Radio in Cameroon. We invite all of our subscribers to spread the word about FRW to your colleagues and professional networks. We have revised the FRW subscription form, and it’s easier than ever to sign up at: http://farmradio.org/english/partners/fr_weekly_subscribe.asp. We thank George Wambiya of URDI Inc. in Kenya, for offering this endorsement: “This website has been very resourceful to me and others that I have networked with.”

This week’s issue continues our Land Grab Series with a story by FRW correspondent Sawa Pius in Kampala, Uganda. Sawa visited tenants in Nakawa and Naguru Estates who earn their living as urban farmers, but have seen their livelihoods threatened by urbanization. We find out how and why they have been resisting eviction since 2000. Our second story turns to a rural community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Farmers in the community were having trouble accessing loans from microcredit institutions in nearby towns, so they started their own bank dedicated to local development.

Journalists interested in climate change coverage will want to check out the Upcoming Events and Radio Resource sections for opportunities to enter a competition and join a network. To learn how you can share a story on how your organization has supported local farmers, see the Farm Radio Action section. And be sure to visit the Script of the Week for the latest update on our expectant couple as they experience the ninth month of pregnancy and prepare for the arrival of their first child.

Happy reading!

-The Farm Radio Weekly Team

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African Farm News in Review

1. Uganda: Urban farmers fight eviction (by Sawa Pius, for Farm Radio Weekly, in Kampala, Uganda)

2. Democratic Republic of the Congo: Local bank reaps local benefits (Syfia Grands Lacs)

3. Global: Food prices fall from record high (New York Times)

Upcoming Events

-Young journalists invited to enter Earth Journalism Awards Competition

Radio Resource Bank

-Network of Climate Journalists of the Greater Horn of Africa

Farm Radio Action

-How Farm Radio International changed one farmer’s life

Farm Radio Script of the Week

-Let’s talk about it: A young couple plans pregnancy and childbirth – Part 7

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Thousands of people call Nakawa and Naguru Estates in Kampala home. The estates are filled with houses, but also gardens. Most residents are urban farmers. They grow maize, potatoes, cassava, bananas, and green vegetables. Most own stalls at the Nakawa market, where they sell their grains, roots, and vegetables.

This use of land dates back to 1940. At that time, residents signed an agreement with the British colonial government. They rented the land for a fee which has grown over the years. But as urbanization continues, developers see other uses for the land. Since 2000, the urban farmers of Nakawa and Naguru Estates have been fighting eviction.

A British company called M/S OPEC Prime Properties wants to build apartment buildings on the land. Until recently, the Ugandan government had supported their effort. Since 2000, the government has issued three eviction notices. But residents refuse to leave.

Augustine Okoreti and Mary Kamugisha are among the oldest tenants on the disputed land. They rely on the land to feed their families. They don’t feel they should be sent away empty handed.
Residents say they cannot afford to purchase land anywhere else in Kampala. They fear they will lose their small businesses selling crops at the Nakawa market.

The tenants have formed a group called the Nakawa Naguru Residents Association. They are demanding that the government compensate them for the loss of their land or give them another place to live. They suggest the land could be divided in half – half used for apartments, and the other half for urban farming. Alternatively, they propose a compensation of approximately 40 million Ugandan shillings (about 10,000 American dollars or 7,000 Euros) per resident.

Earlier this year, the residents won their appeal to President Yoweri Museveni. The President suspended the eviction notice, pending negotiations between the government and the investor on how tenants should be compensated.

Residents are cautiously optimistic. But they would prefer to see the land reserved for urban farmers like themselves.

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Standing in her field of groundnuts, Marie-Rose Bakatuimina recalls that her village used to have many problems. Food was scarce. Housing was poor – in fact, some people were so exposed to the elements that it was practically like sleeping outdoors. The necessities of life were hard to come by. But her rural community has worked together to improve their lives.

Ms. Bakatuimina explains that Fonsdev made all the difference in Dibaya, her community in central Democratic Republic of the Congo. Fonsdev stands for “solidarity funds for development in Dibaya.” It is a bank run for and by rural people. The bank issues small loans, typically to purchase seed or invest in small business.

Mukenge Nsumpi grows taro in Dibaya. She says that locals mistrusted banks in nearby cities. It was difficult for rural people to access loans, even from microfinance institutions. People in Dibaya prefer to collect and manage their own money.

Fonsdev managers are trusted members of the community. Before giving a loan, they assess the reason for the loan and the ability to re-pay. While traditional banks aim to make money, Fonsdev’s primary goal is development.

One of the bank’s goals has already been reached – improving the local food supply. Farmers now have access to the money they need to invest in their crops. As a result, maize, cassava, taro, and groundnuts are abundant at local markets. Since food is abundant, prices have dropped, and food is more affordable. But this hasn’t prevented farmers from earning money.

One couple stressed that Fonsdev has enhanced the status of farmers like themselves. They credit Fonsdev for allowing them to earn a better income. This made their new home of sheet metal and brick possible.

Some villagers have used the loans to start small businesses. One man is now makes and sells hoes, machetes, and spades. He earns a profit, and local farmers also benefit.

Fonsdev was established two years ago. It now has more than 470 members. Leader Kabamba is the treasurer. He explains that Fonsdev tries to be fair when collecting payment, as well as when offering loans. Interest is never higher than 10 per cent. If there’s a problem with re-payment, they try to resolve it amicably.

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One year ago, global food prices were at an all-time high. The dramatic price hike for staple foods such as rice and bread made it more difficult than ever for people to feed their families. In many countries, protesters took to the streets. Some governments took action to protect food stocks and subsidize food.

Now, there are reports that global food prices have fallen. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development prepared a joint report with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization entitled Agricultural Outlook: 2009-2018. The report found that food prices have been falling since June 2008. The price drop is attributed to the global economic downturn.

Food prices are expected to increase over the next 10 years, but not nearly as quickly as they did in 2008. The exception is beef and pork. It’s predicted that the price of these meats will drop in years to come.

-To access highlights of Agricultural Outlook: 2009-2018, visit: http://www.oecd.org/pages/0,3417,en_36774715_36775671_1_1_1_1_1,00.html.
-To read a report by UN Integrated Regional Information Networks on why it’s still difficult for many Africans to afford food, go to: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=84930.
-To revisit the FRW’s special edition on the food crisis (Issue #21, May 2008), go to: http://weekly.farmradio.org/topic/frw-issues/issue-21/.

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There’s no doubt that the practice of urban agriculture is growing, encouraged by factors such as migration to cities and the rising cost of food. Studies consistently show that an increasing number of people rely on food grown in cities. Yet, as our story from Kampala shows, agriculture can conflict with urbanization.

You can read more about the growing trend of urban agriculture in these past FRW news stories:
-“Kenya: Urban agriculture greens metropolis” (Issue#40, October 2008)
-“Africa: Wastewater in urban agriculture is harmful to health, but it also ensures subsistence for urban poor” (Issue #34, August 2008)
-“Africa: Urban agriculture provides relief from high food prices” (Issue #23, June 2008)

-Farm Radio International has also produced a number of scripts on urban agriculture, many of which offer suggestions for growing food in small spaces: http://farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/urban.asp.

Finally, here are some ideas for a call-in/text-in show to further explore this issue:
-Have members of your audience grown food in an urban area, for a long period of time? How much food do they produce and what impact does this have on their family’s food security? What materials (such as organic fertilizer or planters) do they use to make the cultivation of food possible in very small spaces? Which crops grow best with the limited space and resources they have available? What tips or innovations can they share?
-Have urban farmers found their land reduced or threatened by urban development? If their growing space was reduced, how did they cope? If their land is threatened by urban development, what steps have they taken to protect it?

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The chance to save and borrow money can help farmers invest in their farming business or start another small business. As this week’s story illustrates, sometimes even microcredit agencies are not accessible to rural communities, but with a little effort and organization, rural people can start their own small banks.

The following Farm Radio International scripts describe how to start a community bank and manage a loan:
- Women and credit – Part 1: Women learn about credit (Package 57, Script 3, October 2000)
-Women and credit – Part 2: Women start a revolving loan fund (Package 57, Script 4, October 2000)
-Women and credit – Part 3: Women set up a purchasing and marketing cooperative (Package 57, Script 5, October 2000)
-Banks open for small business (Package 49, Script 1, July 1998)
-Women start a loan fund (Package 49, Script 2, July 1998)
-Learning to Manage a Loan (Package 49, Script 2, July 1998)

These stories from past issues of FRW show how farmers can put small loans to good use:
-“Liberia: Farmers rebuild agriculture sector against the odds” (FRW#9, February 2008)
-“Rwanda: Farmers boost profits with ‘coffee bikes’” (FRW#8, January 2008)

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Young and inspired writers, bloggers, journalists, musicians, and others who have a story to tell about climate change are invited to enter the Earth Journalism Awards Competition. Internews has created the MTV Positive Change award for youth aged 18-28. Submissions may be made in any format or mix of formats, including video, audio, photography, script, or music, and should express how society is adapting, or needs to adapt, to the threat of climate change. Entries will be accepted until September 7, 2009.

Internews’ Earth Journalism Awards Competition is designed to promote high quality, local coverage of climate change, leading up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, December 7-18, 2009, in Copenhagen (COP15). At COP15, nations of the world are scheduled to conclude negotiations on the future of the Kyoto Protocol. Award winners will be honoured at a high-profile awards ceremony at COP15 and will get the opportunity to cover the negotiations.

-For more information on the MTV Positive Change award, go to: http://awards.earthjournalism.org/content/mtv-positive-change-award.
-For more information on other Earth Journalism Awards categories, go to: http://awards.earthjournalism.org/content/about-the-competition.

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The Network of Climate Journalists of the Greater Horn of Africa (NECJOGHA) was created following a series of discussions between journalists and climate scientists at the Climate Outlook Forum of 2002. The group realized that the general public was limited in their ability to use climate information and prediction services because information was produced in technical, jargony language.

The network’s goal is to enhance the interaction between climate scientists and journalists and, in so doing, to disseminate climate information in ways that are easily understood by all, including policymakers and the general public in the Greater Horn of Africa. There are 10 countries in the network: Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Patrick Luganda of the NECJOGHA Secretariat describes the importance of climate journalism in an opinion piece: “The Media, Climate and Society – The Africa Story.”

NECJOGHA provides many resources on its website, including:
-News stories about climate, posted by members on the homepage: http://www.necjogha.org/.
-A forum to discuss reporting and recent news, or debate issues surrounding climate change, natural disasters, and government policy: http://www.necjogha.org/forum.

To become a registered user of the NECJOGHA website, go to: http://www.necjogha.org/user/register.

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Guillaume Kanga Nkodo, a plantain farmer in Cameroon, shares his experience with programs based on Farm Radio International scripts and aired on broadcast partner ODAMA-FM. Below is his story:

“Well, what interested me most was that, through the Farm Radio programs, we were told about new farming techniques. For example, we were told that we should not just take any small plantain banana plants and plant them. They advise us to select the small plant [planting material] and make sure they did not have any weevils. We used to plant small diseased trees [plants] but they did not grow normally.

“To improve our production, while cleaning the field we gather all the plantain stems that we cut, to use as fertilizer… The soil’s fertility in conjunction with the advice we receive allows us to not buy a lot of chemical fertilizers. We use the fertilizer techniques as suggested by Farm Radio.”

If you have a story about how Farm Radio International programming broadcast on your radio station has changed a farmers’ life, we would love to hear about it! Send your stories to FRW Editor Heather Miller at hmiller@farmradio.org and we’ll publish them in a future issue of FRW.

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This week’s script is the seventh in a special series that is sure to captivate you and your listeners. Through eight interviews conducted over a period of one year, the series tells a story that is both personal and universal – that of a young couple planning for their first child.

In this seventh installment, we meet the couple in the last month of pregnancy. The mother-to-be tells us about the baby growing inside – how she is hungry when the baby is hungry, and the baby laughs when she laughs. The woman also discusses more practical matters, such as the cost of delivering the baby at a local hospital. The couple offers advice to other young married people on how husbands should support their wives through pregnancy.

You won’t want to miss next week’s Script of the Week section, as it will feature the final installment of this series. We will learn about the birth of their child, and find out if the couple’s preparations paid off.

Notes to broadcaster

When couples are expecting a child, many men and women are uncomfortable talking about issues such as child care, pregnancy, delivery, and the role of men and women in these issues. In some cultures, the husband is the primary person with whom a pregnant woman would discuss such matters; neighbours or close friends can also be involved.

In other cultures, female elders, midwives, and the mother-in-law have a special role to play in encouraging discussion and providing advice to the pregnant woman. Today, however, younger women frequently do not want to follow their advice, even when they advise women to go to a health facility for care.

To talk about these issues, we have visited a couple in a village in Arusha district, Tanzania. They were married one year ago, and have made plans, including how they can make their life prosperous and take care of their children.

This script contains eight separate interviews with the couple, spanning a period from before the wife was pregnant until after the child is born. There are several ways to use this script. You could use it as a guide to interviewing an expectant couple in your own area. Read closely through the kinds of questions and issues in the interviews. Find out how couples in your area prepare for childbirth. Who makes the decisions? Do husbands and wives discuss these issues together? You may also choose to air these interviews as they are, making adaptations to your local situation. The eight interviews could be aired for eight days in a row, or once a week for eight weeks.

This script is based on actual interviews. If you choose to use voice actors to represent the couple who are being interviewed, please make sure to tell your audience at the beginning of the program that the voices are those of actors, not the original people involved in the interview, and that the program has been adapted for your local audience, but is based on a real interview.

Also, some of the cultural customs and traditions followed by the couple and their families may be different than those of your listening audience. Feel free to adapt the script to the cultural context of your listening audience. Or you could present the story as occurring in a different culture with different values and traditions.

The seventh interview – the ninth month of pregnancy

Characters
Producer
Husband
Wife
Neighbouring mother

Presenter: Couples should discuss issues related to pregnancy and childbirth, and ?specifically issues such as saving money for delivery, attending the clinic, caring for the mother during pregnancy, and developing a plan to reach a health facility when labour begins. Many couples don’t consider saving money for any complications that may arise. The long distances to health facilities and the lack of transport are very difficult obstacles for some pregnant women and married couples, and many do not even consider trying to reach a health facility if labour begins at night. This is a matter for preparation before delivery

We are back with the family who are now in their ninth month of pregnancy. The couple are expecting the baby at any time. What preparations have they made so far? Our producer visited the couple again, and here is their talk.

Presenter: Mother, we are meeting again in your ninth month of pregnancy, when we have hope that God will give you a baby at any time. Do you have any problems now with your health?

Wife: I have had back pains for a long time, but now it is getting worse. Also, I can’t walk very far and I feel tired all the time.

Presenter: Are there any problems with the baby moving?

Wife: The baby is moving well. And many times the baby is hungry.

Presenter: How do you know that the baby is hungry?

Wife: When I am hungry, the baby is hungry also. And when I try to eat I feel dizzy.

Presenter: What about happiness and anger? Does the baby feel these?

Wife: Yes! Baby knows. I don’t know how the baby knows, but the baby stops moving when I am angry, and when I laugh the baby also laughs.

Presenter: Have you been able to prepare and put things in order which are needed?

Wife: I have some money, though it’s not enough. I have prepared clothes and some food and I trust that it will be enough.

Presenter: Do you think your parents can help with your preparation?

Husband: They told us not to rely on them. We have to rely on ourselves because they have their families to care for.

Presenter: You mean that they have not donated anything in preparation for their grandchild?

Husband: To be honest, nothing. What they are waiting for is their grandchild – only that. Maybe they think that there is no need for them to prepare anything. They just told us to bring the grandchild so that they can see it.

Presenter: There are many kinds of preparation: preparations for the home, for the hospital and for the mother. How are these going now?

Husband: About preparation at home, it’s okay. For hospital, we have tried to prepare what we were told to plan and we have finished doing that.

Presenter: Perhaps some kinds of preparation are expensive. Can you help the listeners understand how much your preparations will cost?

Wife: The cost will depend on where you go for delivery. For example, some hospitals might cost sixty thousand shillings, others might be thirty thousand, and a government hospital is twenty thousand. For an operation, it is one hundred and fifty thousand, and there are other costs such as a bed. I have been told that when you give birth at home, there is no need for money.

Presenter: Women who give birth at home – can they be sure that the baby will be healthy?

Wife: Some who have given birth at home say they had no problems. But I have prepared myself with money and will go to the cheaper hospital because I don’t have enough money to go to the expensive hospital.

Presenter: Father, perhaps you think that giving birth at home is better because there is no cost for transport to hospital, for preparing food for the mother, and for transport home. Do you agree?

Husband: My agreement with my wife is to go to hospital. And we are ready for that. It’s difficult if you don’t prepare yourself but we are ready.

Presenter: Neighbour, we’ve been waiting for this baby now for nine months. What can you say about this very important issue?

Neighbouring mother: These days we are waiting because at any time, at any minute, the mother can give birth, so the most important thing is transport. You can prepare yourself on how to communicate with those who have transport and help you quickly, but till now we haven’t found anyone and to go to hospital is impossible. If God does his wonders at home we thank him. But we don’t want her to give birth at home because it’s not safe for a baby or a mother. There are a lot of diseases that can arise in delivery and we want as much safety as we can get. Honestly, their plan to go to hospital is good. But they have to keep transport near them at all times.

Presenter: What about you as a family? When the baby comes home, do you have any idea about how to care for it?

Wife: Not yet, but I will ask a doctor how to take care of the baby. Also, I have a nice neighbour who has experience, and she can tell me how to do it because it is my first time to have a baby. I believe she will help me.

Presenter: Father, how about you? Do you have any experience in welcoming a baby and take care of it?

Husband: I don’t. It’s our first time as she says, and I have never carried a baby. People say that a newborn baby is so tiny that, if you carry it without enough care, you can drop it. But I will ask others how to do it.

Presenter: Was there any advice from the doctor while you are waiting during pregnancy?

Wife: The doctor told me that the important thing is to prepare myself and to do exercises, and also to listen to make sure the baby is moving. If the baby is not moving, I have to report to the hospital.

Presenter: You have met so many challenges from the first month of pregnancy until now. What can you tell others who are married or who are just getting married now?

Wife: Many men stay away from their wives when they are pregnant. They should not do that. They should be like my husband. Men are supposed to help their wives mop and cook. They can help out with the work and clean the kitchen, and not run away from their wives. Running away is not a solution; it increases the problems for their wives. If the wife is angry, it’s because of the baby in the womb. Sometimes a pregnant woman can be angry, feeling some pain, and can’t do hard work.

Husband: Pregnant women should avoid hard work to make sure they do not abort. Some men take their wives to their mother or mother in-law’s house and they take care of the women. This is not good because mothers also have their own families to care for. A husband has to take responsibility to take care of his wife.

Presenter: Many times, men tell their wives to go to the clinic alone. Mother, what do you say about this?

Wife: I go with my husband when he can. If he can’t, it’s okay, but I need his company.

Presenter: Have you heard others talk about their husbands not escorting them to the clinic?

Wife: Yes! Nurses say that men are afraid to go because if a woman is pregnant they do a blood test and men dislike being tested. They are not sure whether they are HIV positive. But my husband went and was tested and he is not HIV positive.

Presenter: What is your advice to fathers?

Husband: I advise them to go with their wives to a clinic. It shows love and care.

Presenter: Pregnant woman get tired every day. How do you help your wife, as even bathing is tough for her, and she can’t bend properly?

Husband: To be honest, she always asks me to help wash her feet because she can’t bend. I help her to bathe until I am sure she is clean. Truly I do help her.

Signature tune up. Hold 10 seconds and fade out.

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