Notes to Broadcasters

At the recent launch of the Gender and Land Rights Database, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations called inequalities between men and women with regard to land access “one of the major stumbling blocks to rural development.” In this week’s news article from Swaziland, we see how a step forward for women’s land rights not only addresses injustices, but also opens up economic opportunities. For the full text of the legal ruling, go to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/27384541/Mary-Joyce-Doo-Aphane-Swaziland-Court-Judgement.

You may wish to use the Gender and Land Rights Database to search for information on the major social, economic, political, and cultural factors that impact women’s rights and access to land in your country; or to see how land rights compare from country to country. The online database includes information on national and customary laws governing land use; property rights and inheritance; international treaties and conventions; and land tenure. It also lists civil society groups that work on land issues and provides other related statistics. Database users can access all information available for a particular country, or select specific topics, such as the total number of land holders in a specific state. The database also generates reports which compare two or more countries. The Gender and Land Rights Database can be found at: http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights.

For more information on women’s land rights, you may refer to the following articles:

-“Gender Issues in Land Tenure under Customary Law,” published by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research: http://www.capri.cgiar.org/wp/..%5Cpdf%5Cbrief_land-05.pdf
-“Women’s Right to Land: A Human Right,” published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/NEWS/2002/020302-e.htm
-“Land rights: The struggle of African women” (in French only): http://www.afrik.com/article14727.html
-“Resources for Journalists,” produced by the International Food Policy Research Institute, on land rights in Africa: http://www.ifpri.org/media/20060518Land.asp

These Farm Radio scripts deal with the issue of women’s property rights in various ways. If you air this news story, you may wish to round out your broadcast with one of the following:

-Promote gender equality and empower women (Package 78, Script 3, July 2006), featuring an interview with a women’s rights advocate in Uganda
-Women, property, and inheritance (Package 73, Script 4, January 2005), featuring a fictionalized interview with a lawyer about inheritance laws
-Land ownership rights: Access denied – Why women need equal access to land (Package 57, Script 9, October 2000), a drama in which a husband and wife discuss land rights and customary law
-Why women need to know about land rights (Package 37, Script 7, July 1995), a straightforward narrative addressed to women in the listening audience

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Recent cases of Rift Valley Fever in South Africa 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. Subsequent outbreaks have affected sheep, goats, cattle, and camels, in addition to humans. Outbreaks have been recorded in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Yemen.

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.

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.

Additional information on how the disease affects humans can be found here: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs207/en/

Additional information on how the disease 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 Farm Radio 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.

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Here are some ideas for reporting on women farmers and rural women’s issues at any time of the year:

You may wish to interview an innovative woman farmer or entrepreneur about her experience preparing and marketing a new product – either for a news report or an on-air discussion:

-How did she come up with the idea for the product (or the idea to market a local product)?
-What kind of market research did she conduct?
-How does she package the product to make it attractive to customers? What else does she do to add value to her product?
-How did she determine the best price for her product?
-Did any partnerships or other types of support assist her to produce and market her product?
-How much money does she earn from her business? What role does this play in her family income?

You may wish to find and profile a women’s co-operative in your area:

-What sorts of products does the group produce? Do they use these products in their homes, sell them (or both)?
-What traditional materials and methods does the co-operative use? What new materials or methods have they learned about or discovered?
-Has the group been able to access training or funding programs to support their endeavours? What channels did they go through to obtain this support?
-What direct benefits have members of the co-operative experienced, such as improved income or better access products? Has the group been able to support women in the community at large (for example, with women’s health or women’s rights initiatives)?

You may wish to produce a call-in or text-in show in which callers answer the following questions regarding women’s land rights:

-Do you know women who have been evicted from their land? If yes, how were they expelled?
-Did the evicted women go to court to defend their right to land? If so, what was the outcome? If not, what happened to the women and their families?
-After the eviction, how did the women ensure their family’s food security? Did they have any support from their parents?
-If an evicted woman is living with HIV and AIDS, how does the community help her? Are there any organizations that have helped evicted women regain their land and/or livelihoods?

You may wish to host a program that offers women whose right to land and other assets has been violated a chance to tell their story. An interview with an advocacy organization could add value to this program. (Such an organization may also help you contact women who wish to share their story). Some points to investigate are:
-What are the customary practices regarding financial decisions in local households?
-What laws govern household finances, and how do customary practices compare with the law?
-What do women contribute to the household finances (e.g. what sort of work do they do)?
-What financial responsibilities to women have (e.g. to grow or purchase food, to pay school fees)?

Some questions for individual women:

-At what point were they excluded from financial decision making?
-What were the repercussions for the family of the woman being excluded from decision making?
-Did the woman try to negotiate with her husband for more control over the family finances and, if so, what was the result?
-What organizations or legal bodies could support the woman to improve her situation?

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In past editions of FRW, we have looked at African farmers who experiment with all sorts of “micro-livestock,” including rabbits, snails, butterflies, and even silk worms. Some alternative livestock, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, are reportedly easy to raise, compared to others that are difficult to control or highly vulnerable to disease.

Still, for every kind of livestock, a specific set of skills is required to breed, rear, and maintain them in good health. You may wish to prepare a program or series of programs featuring one kind of alternative livestock that is raised in your area. Consider featuring successful farmers and other local experts who can explain what someone needs to know to successfully raise and market the livestock.

For more information on micro-livestock, visit the following:
-From The Overstory, The Agroforestry E-journal: http://www.agroforestry.net/overstory/overstory41.html
-From The New Agriculturalist: http://www.new-ag.info/99-3/focuson.html

Farm Radio International has produced many scripts about raising livestock, large and small. Follow this link for scripts on topics such as feeding animals through the dry season, preventing and treating animal disease, and alternative livestock such as snails and bees: http://farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/livestock.asp.

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Land rights are an issue of top concern to farmers and a justifiable focus of agricultural news. The threat posed by land-grab attempts by large corporations and foreign governments captures a great deal of attention. But concerns such as land rights for indigenous people and women, and conflict over land at the community level, also demand media attention. Here, we present some resources and programming ideas for exploring some of these land rights issues: http://www.afrik.com/article14727.html
-Resources for Journalists, produced by the International Food Policy Research Institute, on land rights in Africa: http://www.ifpri.org/media/20060518Land.asp

Indigenous peoples’ land rights
-Are there peoples in your country who have been displaced by former regimes and are now resettled, or wish to resettle, on ancestral lands?
-Are there national laws, policies and procedures to return land to those who have been displaced? If so, are they being implemented? If not, why not?
-If peoples have been resettled, through what process did they obtain the right to return to the land?
-What challenges did the people face after resettlement and how did they overcome them?
-If people have been resettled on farmland, do they have the skills and financial resources to make a living as farmers? Have retraining programs been put in place? What national or local organizations – governmental or NGOs – are working on this issue?
-Are resettled people discarding traditional land uses in favour of new uses? If so, why?
-If legal proceedings are underway to resolve a land claim, what are some of the arguments being considered?

Women’s land rights
Here are some resources that can help you expand your knowledge on African women’s struggle for land rights:
-Land rights: The struggle of African women:

Here are some Farm Radio International scripts that deal with women’s land rights in Africa:
-Promote gender equality and empower women (Package 78, Number 3, July 2006)
-Women, property, and inheritance (Package 73, Number 4, January 2005)
-Land ownership rights: Access denied – Why women need equal access to land (Package 57, Number 9, October 2000)

Community conflict
The following Farm Radio scripts describe fictionalized – though realistic – community conflicts. They suggest reasons why conflict over land and water resources can become so contentious, and some ways that such conflicts can be resolved:

-Conflict over natural resources: A short story (Package 67, Script 7, June 2003)
-Dispute over a sacred stream: Villagers describe the conflict (Package 67, Script 6, June 2003)

Whether the communities in your broadcast area are experiencing a violent conflict, or are simply subject to tensions that can occur wherever resources are shared, consider the role your radio organization can play in reducing conflict. The following resources, taken from previous instalments of FRW’s Radio Resource Bank, may help you to get started:

-Using radio to help communities talk by the Straight Talk Foundation
-A checklist for conflict-sensitive journalism by the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society and International Media Support

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Over the past two years, the growth in commercial demand for farm and forest land has been undeniable. According to Michael Taylor, Programme Manager for Global Policy and Africa at the International Land Coalition (ILC), ILC members are concerned because they see that, as foreign investors express more and more interest in acquiring arable land, African governments are willing to meet their demands. Mr. Taylor adds that, generally, investors do not approach local people who make their livelihoods on the land – and that is the real problem.

However, according to a report by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), measures could be put in place to ensure that land transactions are beneficial to everyone, including local people. IFPRI recommends the following: transparency in negotiations; respect for existing land rights; equitable sharing of benefits; environmental sustainability; and abidance to national trade policies. The IFPRI report, entitled: “Land grabbing” by foreign investors in developing countries: Risks and opportunities, is available online, here: http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/bp/bp013.asp.

The following questions may serve as a starting point for investigating cases of foreign investment in farmland in your area:

-Who are the investors (company, government, or other) who have leased or bought land (or are interested in leasing or buying land)?
-Did the national government consult local small-scale farmers about the negotiations? If yes, what was the process? If not, what was the outcome?
-What sort of agriculture (e.g. subsistence, commercial) is being practiced on the land in question and what sort of crops are being grown? What type of agriculture do the foreign investors wish to practice?
-Who will control the land? Who will profit?
-Will the local community benefit from the land investment? What guarantees do they have that the investors will deliver any benefits they promise?
-If rural people have been or will be displaced by the land grab, where will they go? How will they meet their food needs?
-Are there alternatives to permitting the sale or lease of local land that would be more beneficial for rural communities?

The following resources may help you in your research into the purchase or lease of arable land in Africa:

-Land grab or development opportunity? Agricultural investment and international land deals in Africa, a report by the International Institute for Environment and Development: http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=12561IIED.
-Second wave of Colonialism in Africa, an article first published on Znet: http://mostlywater.org/second_wave_colonialism_africa.
-Seized: The 2008 landgrab for food and financial security, a report by the NGO GRAIN: http://www.grain.org/briefings/?id=212.
-A map produced by the International Food Policy Research Institute indicating countries in which land transactions have taken place: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100237997621038330776.000468b0a95f89721a96e&ll=18.646245,15.820313&spn=120.933723,198.632813&z=3&output=embed
-A website created by GRAIN to provide daily updates on cases of land grabbing: http://farmlandgrab.org/.

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This story demonstrates the power of radio to support farmers in their efforts to maintain household food security. If you have a story about how your radio station has helped farmers (by, for example, increasing production, reducing losses, or improving marketing), please write to FRW Editor Heather Miller at hmiller@farmradio.org.

To learn more about the African Farm Radio Research Initiative, visit: http://www.farmradio.org/english/partners/afrri/.

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As this story demonstrates, the battle against desertification has not been lost. Efforts such as afforestation are underway to protect arable land and rehabilitate desertified land. But, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, desertification continues to be one of the environmental changes which pose the greatest threat to the survival of the poor. This suggests that soil conservation efforts must continue. You may view materials related to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification here: http://www.unccd.int/.

In 2008, the United Nations Environment Programme published an atlas which illustrated environmental change on the African continent (http://na.unep.net/AfricaAtlas/). Satellite photos taken of the province of Tahoua, Niger, in 1975 and again in 2005 show that between 10 and 20 times more trees are growing now than in the 1970s. This improvement is the result of tremendous efforts by local farmers to plant and protect trees. You can visit the Tahoua Province page of the atlas to see the increase in green space yourself: http://na.unep.net/digital_atlas2/webatlas.php?id=356.

Here are some other resources that may interest you:

-The NGO SOS Sahel has many projects to fight desertification, operating in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Sudan. One of the organization’s goals is to assist the people of the Sahel to take charge of all aspects of development. According to Blaise Soyir Some, a director of SOS Sahel International Burkina Faso: “A good project to combat desertification has to take into account the region’s socio-cultural factors. The participation of local actors at every stage of a project, from conception to final evaluation, is indispensable.” SOS Sahel offers a plethora of information on desertification, including practical and proven methods to combat desertification, on its website (in French only): http://www.sossahel.org/la_desertification.

One of SOS Sahel’s ongoing projects in Senegal is the planting of strips of trees called filaos (to learn more about the filao tree, visit this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casuarina_equisetifolia). These trees are intended to protect crops from gradual silting, caused by overexploitation of groundwater and destructive horticultural practices by vegetable farmers. To read more about this project (in French only), visit: http://www.sossahel.org/nos_actions/actions_en_cours/filaos_senegal.

-The United Nations Environment Programme has launched the Billion Tree Campaign, with the goal of planting one tree for every person on earth by the end of 2009. The project was launched in 2006, in response to environmental challenges such as global warming, biodiversity loss, and inaccessibility of potable water. To learn more about this project, please visit: http://www.unep.org/BILLIONTREECAMPAIGN/. The company Tree Nation, which was mentioned in this article, and the organization Green Belt Movement (http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/), are both part of this initiative.

Finally, the following Farm Radio International scripts deal with the subject of desertification:
-Stop your land from turning to desert (Package 42, Script 6, December 1996)
-A 13-part radio drama entitled The long dry season: A tale of greed and resourcefulness (Package 77, March 2006)
-Stone lines reduce erosion (Package 43, Script 8, March 1997)
-Make drylands productive with planting pits (Package 41, Script 1, September 1996)

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In news release issued in June 2008, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reiterated an oft-cited fact: “Although Africa produces only four per cent of the world’s total carbon dioxide emissions, its inhabitants are poised to suffer disproportionately from the consequences of global climate change.” At the time, UNEP was launching a new atlas of Africa, which features more than 300 satellite photos illustrating environmental change over the past 30 years. The effect of an overall rise in global temperature is dramatically marked by shrinking glaciers atop Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro and Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains.

To see the impact of climate change on everyday life, one need look no further than average farmers, such as those in our story from Zimbabwe. These farmers and countless others have suffered from alternating droughts and floods as rain patterns have become less predictable.

Erratic rainfall patterns are among the greatest challenges that climate change poses to small-scale farmers. Our news story mentions several adaptation techniques that farmers can use to cope with erratic rainfall:

-drip irrigation to use scarce water most effectively
-zero grazing to reduce reliance on natural pastures
-crossing exotic varieties with indigenous animal breeds to enable them to better cope with a dry environment
-switching to more resilient crops, such as sorghum and finger millet
-experimenting with short-season maize varieties
-For more information on the impact of climate change in Zimbabwe, see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200805220560.html

Some of the adaptation techniques discussed in this week’s news story may be useful for farmers in your area. Consider the following Farm Radio International scripts for additional information and resources:

-Choosing crops for drought prone areas (Package 73, Script 3, January 2005)
-Supply water directly to plant roots with pitcher and drip irrigation (Package 71, Script 10, June 2004)
-Farmer Phiri uses infiltration pits to combat drought (Package 64, Script 6, July 2002)
-The role of native breeds in maintaining livestock health: Story ideas for the radio (Package 63, Script 3, April 2002)
-Dr. Compost talks about compost piles (Package 61, Script 6, October 2001)
-A farmer practices zero grazing (Package 51, Script 3, February 1999)

You may also consider producing a call-in and text-in show, or a locally researched news story, on one or both of the following topics:

1) Local climate change observations:
-What differences in seasonal temperature and rainfall patterns have people observed?
-Have floods and/or droughts been more frequent in the last 20-30 years than in previous decades?
-What differences in the properties of soil have been seen in recent decades?
-What differences in vegetation have been seen, including crops, pasture, and wild plants?

2) Local adaptation techniques:

-What crops have farmers struggled with, and which have proven well-suited to these new conditions?
-What sorts of feeding and care techniques have livestock farmers used to cope with new conditions?
-What techniques are farmers using to prevent flooding and make the best use of available water?
-What other steps have farmers taken to maintain food security in the case of severe drought or floods?

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This story provides an exceptional example of the power of women’s co-operatives. The motto of L’Association Songtaab Yalgre is “une femme, un revenue” or “one woman, one income.” By scaling up the traditional practice of processing shea nuts into butter and creating the innovative shea fruit product Karidelice, the organization has created sustainable employment for more than 3,000 Burkinabé women. Their profits have not only improved the lives of women members; they have also been invested in the health of all women in their community. Their co-operative’s information and communications hub – Maison d’Information et de Promotion du Karité – serves the dual purpose of promoting shea products and promoting women’s health.

The website for L’Association Songtaab Yalgre (ASY) can be found here:
http://www.songtaaba.net/index.html.

More information on ASY’s award-winning product, Karidelice, can be found at the following sites:
-ASY’s newsletter, with an article explaining how the organization became eligible for, and ultimately won, prizes for their innovation: http://www.songtaaba.net/journal/journal_N%203_fr.pdf.
-An article by CECI (Centre d’étude et de coopération internationale) explaining the role of Canadian industrial engineering student Chantal Bernatchez in helping ASY prepare for mass production of Karidelice: http://publication.ceci.ca/fr/bulletin/omni/articles/10925.aspx.
-A feature on ASY and Karidelice in the newsletter L’Evénement: http://www.evenement-bf.net/pages/societe_89.htm.

You may wish to profile a women’s co-operative in your area:

-What sorts of products does the group produce? Do they use these products in their homes, sell them or both?
-What traditional materials and methods does the co-operative use? What new materials or methods have they learned about or discovered?
-Has the group been able to access training or funding programs to support their endeavours? What channels did they go through to obtain this support?
-What direct benefits have members of the co-operative experienced, such as improved income or better access to markets? Has the group been able to support women in the community at large (for example, with women’s health or women’s rights initiatives)?

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As our news story points out, seed fairs expand on the common and traditional practice of farmers exchanging seeds with neighbours. Over the past several years there has been growing interest in seed fairs in many African countries. One reason for this is that seed fairs are a way to preserve the diversity of locally-adapted plant materials and promote farmer control of the seed supply. This addresses concerns that large companies are taking control of genetic resources and encouraging a monoculture approach to agriculture.

Our news story from Mozambique was taken from the latest issue of LEISA magazine, a publication dedicated to promoting “Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture.” LEISA also published the following guide to organizing a seed fair, which you may wish to share with your listening community:

How to organize a seed fair

1- Organize the fairs regularly, and avoid the busy time of the growing season. The Nampula fairs are annual and take place about two months before the rainy season.
2- Start with a central fair, but later increase the number of fairs to cover different regions, thus allowing increased participation.
3- Let the regions (i.e. regional organizations) be responsible for organizing their own fair, to allow local farmer leaders to gain experience in organizing activities. In the Nampula case, representatives were selected for the different regions, as well as an organizational committee composed of leaders from each area.
4- When organizing simultaneous events, keep the logistics manageable. The five seed fairs catered to members within a 180 km distance from the UG CAN headquarters in Nampula.
5- Move the location of the fairs within the regions every year.
6- State clearly in the invitations that an equal number of women and men are expected to represent each area at every fair.
7- Also explain in the invitations that diversity and a good quantity of seeds are important, as is information about the seeds (when to plant, preferred type of soil, water needs, etc.).
8- Add some local cultural interest: for the Nampula fairs, local authorities were invited, as well as a drum and dance group. UG CAN members were also asked to prepare songs or a play that highlights the importance of seed.
9- Provide money to the organizational committees, which can also be used for food for the participants and guests. At the end of the fair, a breakdown of the costs should be presented to the participants.
10- Ensure that the seed be exchanged or otherwise sold at a symbolic price (i.e. a nominal or very low price) to keep it accessible to the farmers.
11- Keep out commercial seed companies (authorities inevitably suggest inviting representatives of seed companies, which of course completely negates the idea of the fairs).
12- Award prizes at the end of the fair to the areas that managed to attract the most seeds in terms of diversity and quantity.
13- Afterwards, evaluate the fairs to evaluate possible adaptations for the following year.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics have also published guides to organizing community seed fairs, as follows:

-Community diversity seed fairs in Tanzania: Guidelines for seed fairs: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/ag387e/ag387e00.pdf.
-Organizing seed fairs in emergency situations: http://www.icrisat.org/uploads/presentations/18062003163009Organizing%20Seed%20Fairs.pdf.

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In an interview with Farm Radio Weekly, Korir Singo’ei, the Director of the Centre for Minority Rights Development (CEMIRIDE), said that a video featuring the voices of displaced Endorois people was a key piece of evidence at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights hearing. Mr. Singo’ei said the video captured everyone’s attention and helped to prove the Endorois people’s historic connection to the land near Lake Bogoria.

You can view both this video as well as an advocacy video entitled “Rightful Place,” both produced by CEMIRIDE with the support of WITNESS, on this website:
http://hub.witness.org/en/rightfulplace

You may also wish to review these past FRW stories dealing with indigenous and traditional land rights:
-“Uganda: Indigenous people fight for land lost to carbon credit scheme” (FRW# 80, September 2009)
-“Kenya: Fifty years after independence, families finally have land to call their own” (FRW# 73, July 2009)
-“Southern Africa: Farm workers become farm owners” (FRW# 69, June 2009)
-“Namibia: Bushmen return to ancestral lands” (FRW# 49, December 2008)

Here are some ideas for related local stories:
-Are there peoples in your country who were displaced by former regimes and who are now resettled, or wish to resettle, on ancestral lands?
-Are there national laws, policies and procedures to return land to those who have been displaced? If so, are they being implemented? If not, why not?
-If peoples have been resettled, through what process did they obtain the right to return to the land?
-What challenges did the people face after resettlement and how did they overcome them?
-If people have been resettled on farmland, do they have the skills and financial resources to make a living as farmers? Have retraining programs been put in place? What national or local organizations – governmental or NGOs – are working on this issue?
-Are resettled people discarding traditional land uses in favour of new uses? If so, why?
-If legal proceedings are underway to resolve a land claim, what are some of the arguments being considered?

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Linking smallholder farmers to better markets, especially better-paying produce markets ? that’s the reason that the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is expanding in agriculture. A number of ICT initiatives are popping up in African countries. The idea is to use mobile phones to resolve some of the constraints farmers face. Constraints include: poor access to information and technical advice, and insufficient access to input markets and well-paying produce markets.

Cell phones can save farmers time and money when they send and receive information such as market prices for their products or weather conditions for their crops.

Cell phone use among Africans is rising. According to the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union, 75 per cent of all African phone users in 2004 used cell phones. At the same time, effective communication methods, such as cell phones, have increased competition among traders, which can ultimately mean better prices for farmers.

Farm Radio Weekly published a story in January 2008 about an short message service (SMS) system called TradeNet that helps farmers get better market prices: “Cell phones help farmers and traders do business more efficiently.” (http://weekly.farmradio.org/2008/01/21/4-africa-cell-phones-help-farmers-and-traders-do-business-more-efficiently-farm-radio-weekly-africanewscom/)

You may wish to gauge the opinions of your listeners on cellular technologies and agriculture, or, you may wish to research a local story on the topic. Here are some questions that might help:
- How do farmers in your area sell their products?
- Do farmers in your area have access to cell phones? If so, do they use SMS to receive market prices or sell goods?
- Have farmers in your area increased their incomes by using cell phones?
- Do farmers use their cell phones to receive or exchange other information that helps them in their farming?
If you interview farmers who use cell phones, we would be very interested in hearing their stories. E-mail us at farmradioweekly@farmradio.org.

Finally, here are some other resources on SMS and internet technology for farmers:

-The official website for TradeNet, offered in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese: www.tradenet.biz.
-The website for DrumNet: http://www.drumnet.org/
-YouTube videos that explain the DrumNet project:
Part 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hw4bWMQMBQ&feature=related
Part2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZ9RRe_sas&feature=related
Part3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJusLi3TLh0&feature=related

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There are many factors that shape the market for a product and how much a farmer can expect to earn. These factors are constantly changing, meaning farmers need to be prepared to change their marketing approach, when necessary, to maintain their incomes.

You may wish to host a call-in/text-in show that allows farmers to discuss the local market situation – the challenges they face and methods they have used to obtain better prices. Here are some questions to ask:

-How do farmers in your area typically sell their produce? Do they feel that this system allows them to earn a fair price?
-What methods do farmers use to obtain information about current market prices?
-Do farmers in your area store their crops until the market price is favourable? How do they prevent damage to their stored products?
-Do farmers organize themselves into selling cooperatives to strengthen their bargaining power?

If there are farmers’ groups in your area, you may wish to prepare a news story or arrange an on-air interview which profiles the group and their marketing efforts:

-Who are the members of this group? Are they grouped by area, the type of crop they produce, etc?
-When did they come together? What were individual farmers’ experiences with selling their crop prior to forming the group?
-Ask the members to describe in detail the process they use to identify markets for their crops, gather them together, and sell them. Did they try other methods before determining that one method worked best?
-How much extra income do farmers earn as a result of group marketing? What are the other benefits of working as a group (saving time, learning from each other, etc)?

Finally, you may wish to revisit Farm Radio International’s script series on marketing agricultural products, “To Market, To Market,” which was published as part of Package 66 in March 2003:
-“Episode 1: Trusting the trader: the importance of reliable information”
-“Episode 2: A glut in the market – how supply and demand affect prices”
-“Episode 3: Where to sell: making the best choice”
-“Episode 4: Marketing: calculating your costs”
-“Episode 5: Farmers’ helpers: radio and extension help farmers plan”

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The discovery of the role of Karnyothrips flavipes in managing the coffee berry beetle is potentially exciting for coffee farmers in Kenya and beyond. This development was discovered by scientists. However, innovative methods of managing pests are discovered by farmers all the time.

Perhaps you’d like to host a phone-in/text-in show inviting farmers to share their innovative methods for managing pests. Questions to ask farmers include:

-What pest did they target and how much damage was it causing?
-Have they tried other techniques in the past, and if so, how is the new technique better (cheaper, more effective, etc)?
-How did they come up with the pest management idea or hear about the new technique?
-What tests did they conduct to determine that the technique would work in their field, for their crop?
-What is the cost of using the pest management technique?
-To what degree has the technique reduced pest damage?
-Describe in detail how to make/use the technique, including where to get the materials.

For links to Farm Radio International’s scripts on pest management, go to:
http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/pest.asp.

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Last year’s caterpillar outbreak in Liberia wreaked havoc on many villages and triggered concerns about food shortages resulting from crop destruction. There were fears that neighbouring countries were at risk. One year later, it is heartening to hear about the resilience of farmers in affected areas, and the community effort that got farming back on track.

If you have a story about how a community in your listening area has recovered from a serious pest outbreak, we would be interested in hearing about it. Please consider posting your story in the comments section of this article, or e-mail FRW Editor Heather Miller at hmiller@farmradio.org.

Here are some suggestions on how your radio organization might approach programming during a major pest outbreak:

1) If you broadcast in an area that is, or may be, directly affected by the outbreak:
-Keep in touch with relevant authorities and NGOs for accurate and up-to-date information on the situation, and take note of any support services available to those who are affected.
-If possible, send reporters to speak with people in affected areas, or people who have fled affected areas. Find out how they are affected and what they are doing to cope.
2) If you broadcast in an area that is unlikely to be directly affected by the current crisis:
-Consider informing your listeners about the pest outbreak.
-Broadcast information on how to control the pest or other pests that pose a threat to farmers in the area.

If your area is periodically threatened by pests such as desert locusts which cannot be controlled by individual farmers alone, you may consider a program that answers questions such as:

-How do farmers’ organizations in your area work together to combat locust swarms or other pests that cannot be controlled by individual farmers alone?
-What measures do individual farmers or farmers’ organizations in your area take to prepare for food shortages caused by natural disasters? What other measures could they take?

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Declining fish stocks are a concern in many parts of Africa where people make their living as fishers. More than half of Ghana’s 20 million people reside within 100 kilometres of the coast, and fish represent the primary source of both dietary protein and income.

This week’s article focuses on how illegal fishing contributes to the problem. More information on illegal fishing activities, and efforts to stop them, can be found on this website: http://www.illegal-fishing.info/sub_approach.php?subApproach_id=61#news_anchor.

Past FRW news articles have looked at steps that fishing communities can take to ensure they do not deplete local fish stocks. For example, seasonal fishing bans, designed to halt fishing during the time that fish reproduce, aim to ensure healthy fish populations. In November 2008, FRW reported on a proposed seasonal fishing ban for Lake Victoria. (http://weekly.farmradio.org/2008/11/03/east-africa-fishers-and-scientists-back-seasonal-fishing-ban-for-lake-victoria-new-vision/) Last August, we reported that some of Madagascar’s fishers are learning to use larger-meshed nets to avoid catching very small fish, another technique that helps fish stocks to regenerate. (http://weekly.farmradio.org/2009/08/03/1-madagascar-fishers-reel-in-prizes-while-learning-to-keep-waters-stocked-syfia-info/)

If you broadcast to a fishing community, you may wish to host a panel discussion on the topic of maintaining fish stocks. Invite one or more local fishers and/or representatives from fisher organizations, as well as representatives from relevant government agencies or NGOs. Questions for discussion might include:

-How have local fish stocks changed (increased or decreased) in recent years?
-What has caused this change? (For example, has overfishing caused fish stocks to drop, or have management techniques caused the stock to improve)?
-What laws are in place to regulate fishing practices used by local fisherman and by offshore vessels (if applicable)?
-Do locals play a role in monitoring the practices of offshore vessels, as fishers in Ghana are now being encouraged to do?
-What fishery management policies and methods, such as seasonal fishing bans or use of larger-meshed nets, do fishers use to promote healthy fish stocks?
-If local fishers observe a seasonal fishing ban, what income-generating activities (such as selling dried fish or producing other products) do fishers pursue in order to sustain themselves during non-fishing seasons?

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All too often, we hear reports of tension between herdsmen and farmers that erupts into violence. The source of conflict is generally land or water – two natural resources essential to the livelihoods of both groups. Those who study trends in conflict raise concerns that the growing scarcity of these resources, as a result of population growth and climate change, could lead to increasing conflict.Watermelons a sign of peace between farmers and herders” (Issue #22).

It is encouraging to note that, in the face of these pressures, there are also many examples of farmers and pastoralists finding paths to peace. In May 2008, FRW featured a story from Sudan about herders and farmers benefiting from a cooperative relationship: “

The following Farm Radio scripts describe fictionalized – though realistic – community conflicts. They suggest reasons why conflict over land and water resources can become so contentious, and some ways that such conflicts can be resolved:
-“Conflict over natural resources: A short story” (Package 67, Script 7, June 2003)
-“Dispute over a sacred stream: Villagers describe the conflict” (Package 67, Script 6, June 2003)

Whether the communities in your broadcast area are experiencing a violent conflict, or are simply subject to tensions that can occur wherever resources are shared, you might consider the role your radio organization can play in reducing conflict. The following resources, taken from previous installments of FRW’s Radio Resource Bank, may help you to get started:
-Using radio to help communities talk by the Straight Talk Foundation
-A checklist for conflict-sensitive journalism by the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society and International Media Support

For more information on pastoralism, visit the following websites:
-World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism: http://www.iucn.org/wisp/
-Pastoralist Communication Initiative: http://www.pastoralists.org/

Finally, here are some questions to begin a discussion or debate on the importance of livestock rearing and pastoralism in your area:
-What percentage of the local population makes its living through pastoralism?
-What types of investments does your national government make in livestock rearing?
-Are there pastoralist networks in your region? What sort of services do they offer to herders?
-What kind of access do pastoralists have to livestock markets? Can they obtain information on market prices to empower them in sales negotiations?
-What sort of income-generating activities do pastoralist women engage in?
-How do pastoralists in your region ensure adequate access to water and pasture during dry periods?
-What other steps do pastoralists take to ensure their livelihoods (such as diversifying the age and species of their livestock)?
-How are conflicts between herders and farmers resolved? What are the best mediation strategies to assure food security for both groups?

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Radio can be a great forum to celebrate farmers’ work. Although we often report stories of food shortages and difficulties faced by farmers, it is also important to report on farmer successes and to recognize efforts that help farmers achieve the goal of feeding their families and communities.

Here are some questions to explore through a phone-in/text-in show or a news story:
-Which crops are produced in the greatest quantity in your area? Which crops do farmers in your area specialize in? Which crops are farmers known for, and which crops are farmers proud of? For how long have farmers in your area been producing these crops? What techniques have farmers in your area developed to help these crops flourish in the local soil and climate conditions?

-Are these crops consumed by the families who produce them, sold locally, or shipped abroad? What activities are farming families undertaking to store or sell their crops? Are there processing or storage techniques which are unique to farming families in your area?

You may also wish to review Farm Radio International’s script bank on Food Processing and Storage, to see if one or more scripts would be helpful to your audience. You will find information on processing and storing a range of crops, from fruits and vegetables, to grains, to fish: http://farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/food.asp.

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Farm Radio Weekly has been following the issue of farmland grabbing in Africa since November 2008, when it was announced that a South Korean company intended to lease half of Madagascar’s arable land. Since then, there have been countless media reports on the issue of farmland grabbing.

One of the primary concerns with land grabbing is a fear that local people will be expelled from land on which they make their livelihoods, and that local land will be used to produce food or biofuel for export, instead of providing food to local people. At the same time, many foreign investors insist that, by operating large-scale farms on African land, they will provide jobs and increase food production. Our news story from Cameroon illustrates how foreign land investment has played out in one community, and particularly how locals remain dissatisfied with job opportunities offered by a Chinese-run farm and mistrustful of the company’s stated intention to sell its produce locally.

Research has been conducted on how land transactions could be carried out to benefit everyone, including local people. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) recommends the following to ensure that local people are protected in land deals: transparency in negotiations; respect for existing land rights; equitable sharing of benefits; environmental sustainability; and abidance with national trade policies. The IFPRI report, entitled: “Land grabbing” by foreign investors in developing countries: Risks and opportunities, is available online, here: http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/bp/bp013.asp.

The following questions may serve as a starting point for investigating farmland investment in your area:

-Who are the investors (company, government, or other) who have leased or bought land (or are interested in leasing or buying land)?
-Did the national government consult local, small-scale farmers about the negotiations? If yes, what was the process? If not, what was the outcome?
-What sort of agriculture (commercial, subsistence, etc.) is being practiced on the land in question and what sort of crops are being grown? What type of agriculture do the foreign investors wish to practice?
-Who will control the land? Who will profit? Who stands to lose?
-Will the local community benefit from the land investment? What guarantees do they have that the investors will deliver any benefits promised?
-If rural people have been or will be displaced by the land grab, where will they go? How will they meet their food needs?
-Are there alternatives to permitting the sale or lease of local land that would benefit rural communities?

You may also wish to review the following FRW articles, published as part of our series on land grabbing. Each of these stories highlights how local people are affected, and how they have mobilized to resist land grab attempts and/or ensure a better deal for their communities:

-“Land grabbing in Africa: An overview” (FRW #69, June 2009)
-“Sudan: Madi community fights land grab attempts” (FRW #69, June 2009)
-“Malawi: Villagers lose land to sugar plantation” (FRW #70, June 2009)
-“Uganda: Urban farmers fight eviction” (FRW#72, June 2009)
-“Ghana: European biofuel company meets resistance after clearing forests” (FRW#73, July 2009)

For regular updates on the issue of farmland grabbing, or to upload your own reports on the issue, visit the following website, created by the NGO GRAIN: http://farmlandgrab.org/.

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