Radio and video help trigger rice innovation in Africa

The Africa Rice Center (WARDA) is using radio and video to get information about improved technologies and market opportunities.

An article in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability shows how "farmer-to-farmer video has great potential to enhance sustainable agriculture by encouraging local innovations."

More:

• WARDA news release.
  
• Related postings

Bridging farmer-scientist knowledge

Speaking at the 2007 Farmer First conference, Paul Van Mele of the Africa Rice Center comments on ways to "help bridge the farmer knowledge and the scientific knowledge and to bring this synthesis in such a way that it becomes accessible to a wide range of users and intermediary users" so we can 'democratize knowledge." He illustrates this with the work of WARDA where they use video to "stimulate experimentation" [by farmers].

Zooming-in zooming-out: Communicating science with farmers, with video

Paul Van Mele from the Africa Rice Center (WARDA) recently drew attention to the use of video to communicate science with farmers. Commenting on a DFID research consultation, he recommended that DFID support "multi-actor communication teams in producing regionally relevant and locally appropriate learning tools/programs."

In an article in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, he describes how the 'Zooming-in Zooming-out' approach helps extension service providers create regionally relevant learning materials that are locally appropriate.

See some of the videos.

Tags: agricultural information video communication