Community radio to propagate climate change adaption strategy

Tamale, June 14, GNA – Two non governmental organisations, the Farm Radio and CARE International, are packaging a comprehensive and participatory radio programme to propagate climate change adaption to improve vegetation and food production in some communities in the Northern Region.

The programme which is expected to be aired between the hours of 7pm and 9pm and targeting farming communities in the Savelugu/Nanton District.

It would use the local language to educate farmers on the appropriate farming practices and farming seasons and other adaption strategies.

Mr. Benjamin Fiafor, Regional Field Manager of Farm Radio, said the programme would start as a pilot project with Simli Radio, a community radio station in the Savelugu/Nanton District, to deepen local knowledge on the effects of climate change and how they could adapt.

Mr. Fiafor, who was speaking at an opening ceremony of a capacity building workshop, said radio had been identified as a major tool for developmental change communication since it is easily accessible and cheaper to all.

The workshop was attended by some farmers, programme managers and presenters of the Simli Radio as well as selected experts who would serve as an advisory body to the designed programme.

Mr. Fiafor said information is a key need for farmers to help improve their prospects of achieving income and food security in the face of climate change and also an opportunity for them to raise their voices about their concerns.

Mr. Romanus Gyang, Adaptation Learning Programme Project Manager of CARE International, said increasing the capacity of farmers in Africa to adapt to the impact of climate variability and change was very essential to sustainable development and future economic growth.

He stressed that even though the industrialised countries were the worst offenders and largest contributors to climate change, they were able to mitigate and adapt to the effects leaving the African continent to suffer the brunt of climate change.

Mr. Gyang said climate change exacerbates the continent's existing development challenges creating environmental degradation, floods, and droughts and decreasing rainfall patterns.

He observed that the Northern part of the country had been projected to experience drought this year, a situation that could largely be blamed on climate change and suggested the mitigation and adaptation methods to reverse the environmental challenge for economic gains.

Mr. John Amegashitsi, Programme Officer of Farm Radio, who presented a research finding conducted in Savelugu and Yendi about the knowledge base of farmers on climate change, indicated that most farmers had little knowledge about climate change and suggested the need for community radio.

He said most farmers saw climate change as a curse and attributed it to superstition and religious issues while others were just confused and blamed their financial predicaments on climate change.

GNA