Project: improving the access and reach of agricultural extension services for smallholder farmers
Beneficiary: Farm Radio Trust
Duration: 2014-2019
Budget: 1.045.000 euro
The objective of the programme ‘Scaling-up Radio and ICTs in Enhancing Extension Delivery’ (SRIEED) is to improve the access and reach of agricultural extension services for smallholder farmers. For a long time already radio has been internationally acknowledged as an important instrument for agricultural extension. According to the Integrated Household Survey 2010-2011 46% of the Malawi households own a radio, 39% a telephone and 9% a television. Still, the radio is not yet used optimally for agricultural extension in Malawi and its use is limited to ad hoc projects. Innovative agricultural extension services are to support agricultural policy in Malawi and the initiatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
This project tries to deliver alternative, interactive and complementary forms of agricultural extension which increase both the reach and access of agricultural extension, as well as improves the quality of the services provided. Radio is an effective means for disseminating information, creating awareness and encouraging smallholder farmers to adopt new agricultural practices. Through this project farmers receive accurate, timely and research-based information and build up knowledge, which will eventually result in the application of good agricultural practices. In the context of this project Farm Radio Trust will collaborate with several radio stations in 7 districts in Malawi and directly reach around 500,000 smallholder farmers.
The project pursues the following specific objectives for smallholder farmers:
- to increase the availability and access of agricultural information;
- to build up the capacity of radio stations and other ICT providers engaged in agricultural extension;
- to improve the management and transfer of knowledge in the field of agricultural extension;
- to develop standards for and monitor the quality of agricultural extension;
- to impact on policy and encourage the use of radio and other ICT in agricultural extension;
- to stimulate partnerships, networking and collaboration between all actors engaged in agricultural extension.
Farm Radio Trust is a local non-governmental organisation which uses multimedia to promote the use of radio and other ICTs in agricultural and rural development. The organisation was established as a local spin-off from the successful African Farm Radio Research Initiative 2007-2010 which was carried out by Farm Radio International. Farm Radio Trust was officially registered in June 2009 under the Trustees Incorporation Act Today, Farm Radio Trust is an acknowledged player in agricultural extension and provides the framework for the organisation of the national consultation platform for agricultural extension in Malawi, i.e. the Malawi Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services.
To implement the programme Farm Radio Trust will collaborate closely with the Department of Agricultural Extension Services and the Department of Agricultural Research Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, with the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (the former Bunda College) and with the Natural Resources College.