Like this week’s story from Mali, our script of the week focuses on adapting to climate change.
Farmers need to learn about climate change because of its potential effects on their livelihoods. Generally speaking, African farmers can expect increased temperatures and more frequent storms, floods and droughts. The weather will be more variable and harder to predict. Farmers need to understand climate change so they can plan how to adapt to variable yields, water shortages, and possible increases in pests and diseases.
This article provides background information on climate change to help you prepare radio programs on the topic. You could tell farmers in your region about some of the ways that climate change affects them. Then you could discuss strategies that local farmers might use to successfully adapt to climate change.
Talk to farmers to see what their experience has been with changing weather. Have they found new practices, or used traditional practices, that help them adapt to new conditions? To help you produce programs on climate change, we have noted a number of older Farm Radio International scripts that you might find helpful.