Fruit changes farmers’ lives

| April 30, 2018

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Our Script of the week focuses on the same themes as two of this week’s Farmer stories: growing fruit in our story from Tanzania, and women taking their livelihoods into their own hands in both the Tanzania story and our story from Mauritania.

The script is based in western Kenya, and notes that most practicing farmers in local communities are women. It says that, when talking about producing fruit crops, there are still men who feel that women should not plant trees, including fruit trees. These men have not accepted women’s leadership in any kind of development activity. Women have not been given full access and control of land and its resources.

Currently, many communities are shedding light on women’s issues. Community attitudes towards women are undergoing drastic positive change. Some women are involved in agroforestry, and more are growing fruit crops to boost their income. Women are still involved in these activities at a low level, however, and much more awareness is needed of the role that trees—and especially fruit trees—can play in daily lives, both economically and socially.

In western Kenya, fruit crops that can boost farm income include:
• mangoes
• oranges
• apples
• passion fruit
• bananas
• pineapples
• guavas
• avocados
• pears
• pawpaws
• coconuts

This script can help farmers who are interested in producing these fruit crops understand some of the benefits of growing fruits, and offers some basic information on planting three different types of fruit trees: avocado, pineapple, and banana.

http://scripts.farmradio.fm/radio-resource-packs/package-81/fruit-changes-farmers-lives/