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Radio

​Radio is a powerful means of (primarily one-way) communication 
 
Examples. Farm Radio International ; FarmerVoice Radio; Mali Shambani (Kenya) ;
Pros

Radio is one of the best media for spreading awareness of new ideas to large numbers of people and for providing advisories (e.g., publicize extension events or notify people of wide spread issues).

Cons
  1. Batteries can be expensive and difficult to obtain
  2. Usually an inflexible medium (set in time and often communication is often only one-way)
  3. People often are only listening casually
  4. There is little feedback
  5. May be difficult to design programs that meet specific local needs
  6. After hearing, people may remain unresponsive, as they often need to see a technology to believe its potential for them.

Key principles
  1. Focus Know who your audience is – Include information that is topical, relevant and of interest to farmers’ problems.
  2. Content and Clarity Have clear major points. Know what you want people to know, learn or feel at the end of a show. 
    Keep it simple - Use everyday conversational language.
    Repeat main points and give specific examples
  3. Catch Attract attention in the first few seconds
  4. Pretest Either pretest or make the radio program with the users involved
  5. Interaction If possible follow-up broadcasts and/or have extension listen to programs with target group members
    Make sure extension agents listen to and promote programs – talk to farmers about what they heard on the show
  6. Item length Limit talk on any one item to three minutes or less; listeners will not concentrate on one voice speaking on a single topic for much longer than that
  7. Respond Suggest action
  8. Reality Include information or interviews with farmers who have successfully improved their farms.

For more
  • Combining Radio and ICT's: Enhancing Productivity and Market Info in Africa (USAID/FHI 360 FACET Project) Link
  • Farm Radio International. 1998-2011. Creating content Link
  • Interactive Radio for Agricultural Development Projects- A toolkit for practitioners (USAID/FHI 360 FACET Project) Link
  • Oakley, P. and Garfoth, C. 1985. Guide to extension training. Agriculture Extension and Rural Development Centre, School of Education, University of Reading, UK Link
Farm Radio International video