Partly
due to a low literacy rate of only 31%, Afghans mostly depend
on the radio for information, entertainment, and news from
other provinces and the central government. The FHCRAA is
capitalizing on this dependence by producing a weekly program
on agriculture that is aired on 50 government and private
radio stations all over the country. The program features
interviews with farmers in their fields, researchers, and
extensionists, and provides information on technologies for
improved agricultural production. Farmers, who now identify
closely with the program, usually meet in groups to listen
to the broadcasts. Farmers from Nangarhar, Warkdak, and Maidan
Shar have praised the program for addressing issues that concern
them.
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Afghanistan
Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MOAL). H.E. Mr
Sayed Hussain Anwari, cuts the ribbon on the Ministry’s
refurbished recording studio, assisted by Dr Nasrat
Wassimi (right), Executive Manager of ICARDA’s
Kabul office, and Mr Amir Muhammad Safi (left), Head,
MOAL Communication Section, on 11 September 2003 in
Kabul. |
The Consortium also organized a five-day workshop in Kabul
on agricultural journalism in 2003. Radio reporters from 13
provinces were trained in basic journalism, interview techniques,
and creative production. Each participant also selected a
specific topic such as water management or fertilizer application,
conducted interviews with appropriate agricultural resource
people, and produced a 3-minute script that was recorded on
CDs. |
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