Addressing challenges in communicating adaptation practices to smallholder farmers in Kenya through a radio intervention
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Date
2017
Authors
Mwaniki, Fiona
Gichuki, Charity
Mwangi, Maina
Mburia, Pamela
Wandago, Benson O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare (IAO)
Abstract
Farmers in Africa are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change due to their high dependency on climate-sensitive natural resources.
Kenyan farmers are faced with limited public agricultural extension services,
narrowing their sources of useful information including adaptive strategies
that would help them cope with the impacts of climate change. Radio can
be an effective extension tool with the ability to reach many farmers in their
local language. This study investigated the potential of radio in influencing
the utilization of climate change information by farmers in Kilifi County,
located along the Kenyan coast. Education and communication about climate
change was undertaken using radio to make available and understandable
information to different social and cultural groups. This study revealed that
radio can effectively complement other agricultural extension methods and has
the potential to engage farmers on climate change issues and motivate them
to take action, if appropriate approaches are used. Although very few of the
farmers surveyed (33%) reported to have listened to the programs, a high
percentage (82%) of those who did implemented the recommended strategies
and technologies they heard. The major challenges reported by farmers to
accessing the radio programs were lack of a radio and unsuitable program
timing. An additional reported challenge was the inability to store or record
the programs resulting in farmers relying on their own recollection when
implementing strategies. Further research should explore the use of social
learning approaches that encourage group rather than individual listenership
(such as community listening clubs and community-based radio schools) to
overcome these challenges.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Radio, Farmers, Climate change, Communication
Citation
Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development - JAEID 2017, 111 (2): 279 - 322 DOI: 10.12895/jaeid.20172.589