Nelly Bassily | October 13, 2008
It’s harvest time in many African countries – a time for farmers to reap the rewards of a season’s hard work. It may also be a good time to produce a radio program celebrating farmers and their harvest. 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.