Logo: Farm Radio Weekly

1404 Scott Street,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1Y 4M8

Tel: 613-761-3650
Fax: 613-798-0990
Toll-Free: 1-888-773-7717
Email: info@farmradio.org
Web Site: http://farmradio.org/

Farm Radio Weekly is a news and information service for rural radio broadcasters in sub-Saharan Africa. It is published by Farm Radio International.

Issue #44

November 25-December 10: 16 Days broadcast campaign to denounce gender violence in the media

From November 25 to December 10, the Women’s International Network of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC-WIN) will highlight the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence with an Internet campaign. The campaign will be broadcast at www.amarc.org/16jours.

This years’ international campaign theme is “Media and Violence Against Women.” The campaign seeks to denounce gender violence in the media, and will cover 3 dimensions: (a) media as an instrument in combating violence against women; (b) violence against women as projected in the media which “normalizes” violence; (c) violence committed against women media practitioners. The 16 Days campaign starts on November 25 with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It continues on November 29 with the International Women’s Human Rights Defenders Day, followed by December 1: World AIDS Day, December 6: Commemoration Day of the Montreal (Canada) Massacre in 1989, and ends with December 10: International Human Rights Day.

Community radio producers around the world will dedicate these 16 days to highlighting the efforts of women and men to put an end to gender violence. Featured programs will include documentaries, interviews, debates, poetry, music, and more. This multilingual broadcast campaign mobilizes community radios around a global issue and encourages them to use new communication technologies such as the Internet to extend the reach of their voices. Radio stations around the globe are invited to download and broadcast audio files from the AMARC-WIN 16 Days website.

For more information, visit: http://win.amarc.org/index.php?p=16_Days_Against_Violence_on_Women&l=EN.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Warm greetings to all!

This week, we are pleased to introduce 17 new FRW subscribers representing radio stations, farmers groups, NGOs, and government agencies in 11 African countries. They are: from Cameroon, Yimga N. Emmanuel of Journal Le Tourbillon; from Côte d’Ivoire, Sehi Ange Rodrigue of the Coopérative pour la Culture de Pistache and Tanoh Motié Jean Jacques of the NGO R.E.E.L-Santé; from Ghana, Dzigbordi Asuo of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Gilbert Nkrabea of Volta Star Radio, Sawuratu Al-Hassan of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, and Philip Koah from Max FM; from Liberia, Dexter Sherrill of Plan International; from Madagascar, Yvonne Orengo of the Andrew Lees Trust; from Malawi, Gladson Makowa of the Story Workshop; from Nigeria, Sachia Ngutsav of Radio Benue and Abubakar Abdullahi Hassan of Ahmadu Bello University; from Rwanda, Jean Paul Ntezimana of Radio Salus; from Tanzania, Lazarus Laiser of Radio Habari Maalum; from Togo, Amedegnato Edehhioue of the Association Nid du Développement; and, from Uganda, Wambi Michael of Vision Voice 94.8 FM and Mansur Kothia from the Smile Group. We welcome all of our new subscribers!

This edition is packed with news that reflects some of the everyday struggles and triumphs of small-scale farmers. From Cameroon, our correspondent, Lilianne Nyatcha, tells us about chicken farmers struggling to obtain enough feed for their birds. The poultry farmers hope to work with grain farmers to ensure sufficient feed for next season. From Burundi, we bring you the story of farmers who have revived elephant ear – a hardy, nutritious crop that had been lost to their country for more than ten years. We also provide you with important updates on pesticide control and the regulation of genetically-modified crops.

We would also like to tell you about two opportunities to support your fellow African broadcasters. This issue of FRW includes a new section called Radio News Flash. Here, you’ll find news about a recent attack on Ushrika Racou community radio station in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We invite you to use the comments section of this story to post a message of solidarity with Ushrika Racou and others who struggle to operate during times of conflict.

Another opportunity to support radio broadcasters is described in the Farm Radio Action section. Public voting is now open for the Every Human Has Rights Media Awards. Zodiak Broadcasting Station in Malawi – an organization with FRW subscribers – has submitted an entry for which you can vote!

Happy reading!
-The Farm Radio Weekly Team

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

In this week’s Farm Radio Weekly:

African Farm News in Review

1. Cameroon: Chicken farmers hit by high food costs (by Lilianne Nyatcha, for Farm Radio Weekly, in Douala, Cameroon)

2. Burundi: “Lost crop” sprouts again in local fields (Syfia Grands Lacs)

3. Africa: South Africa bans lindane; endosulfan still not covered by Rotterdam Convention (Cape Argus, UN Food and Agriculture Organization)

4. Kenya: New legislation would provide legal framework for GMOs (SciDev.Net)

Upcoming Events

-November 26-28, 2008: Conference on food security and rural development to be held in Ethiopia

Radio Resource Bank

-Asking the right questions

Radio News Flash

-Radio stations under attack in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Farm Radio Action

-Rachel Awuor Adipo wins this year’s George Atkins Communications Award!

-Journalist for Zodiak Broadcasting wins award for human rights reporting

Farm Radio Script of the Week

-Protect your livestock in times of emergency

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Cameroon: Chicken farmers hit by high food costs (by Lilianne Nyatcha, for Farm Radio Weekly, in Douala, Cameroon)

Francois Fofack raises 2,000 chickens on his small farm in Douala, Cameroon. Over the past six months, as the price of maize has increased dramatically, the cost of keeping the chickens has risen by 40 per cent. Recouping that cost in the market is all but impossible. Few people are willing to pay extra for chicken. At the end of the day, Mr. Fofack faces a difficult decision – sell the chickens for a reduced price or take them home, where he can barely afford to feed them. Under these conditions, his profits are disappearing.

Mr. Fofack’s experience is part of a major crisis in Cameroon’s poultry sector, driven by the high cost of maize feed, which is in short supply. Farmers are getting discouraged, and their losses have been significant.

This shortage has persisted for several months. As a result, farmers like Mr. Fofack are being forced to sell off chickens prematurely, to avoid further losses. This is because chickens that don’t receive enough feed take longer to mature and can end up costing much more to raise.

François Djonou is a chicken breeder in Douala. He keeps some 32,000 breeding stock. In the coming months, he plans to reduce this number by 20,000 to minimize his losses. Already, Mr. Djonou has had to kill some 54,000 day-old-chicks, because there just weren’t enough buyers. Chicken farmers are afraid to buy day-old chicks. They worry that they won’t be able to feed them.

Mr. Djonou doesn’t see a solution in this growing season. Wheat could substitute for maize as a staple chicken feed, but wheat is imported and costs even more than maize. He has entered into discussions with maize producers. He intends to provide these farmers with pre-payment, which could allow them to expand their plots or combine the ones they already have and provide him with more feed. However, this solution will have to wait until next year.

The impact on the price of feed has been dramatic. In 2006, a kilogram of maize cost 90 FCFA (approximately 20 American cents or 0.14 Euros). The price surpassed 160 FCFA (about 36 American cents or 0.24 Euros) in September 2008. Some speculate that traders who buy and sell maize have increased the uncertainly about maize prices.

But, according to Joseph Takam, a chicken breeder and maize grower in Bafoussam, western Cameroon, a rise in chemical fertilizer prices is the real culprit behind the high cost of feed. The price of a sack of chemical fertilizer has nearly doubled, from 11,000 FCFA (approximately 25 American dollars or 17 Euros) to 20,000 FCFA (about 45 American dollars or 30 Euros).

In 2007, Mr. Takam used 30,000 kilograms of chemical fertilizer on his 100 hectares of land, producing 600 tonnes of maize. This year, with the rise in fertilizer prices, he could only afford 70 per cent of the chemical fertilizer he normally uses. For the first time, part of his field was fertilized with chicken manure. However, since he had not mastered this fertilization technique, his maize production dropped by more than 25 per cent. Mr. Takam says he had no choice but to raise his prices to recover his investment.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

1 Comment - Post your comment »

Burundi: “Lost crop” sprouts again in local fields (Syfia Grands Lacs)

Hélène Nzirubusa proudly grows taro plants in the Mukazye River valley of Rutana province, southeastern Burundi. Taro – also known as elephant ear – had disappeared from the country some 10 years ago. But today, this hardy crop is sprouting in fields across the province. Taro has been revived in thanks to the efforts of a crop multiplication centre, which makes taro cuttings and distributes them to farmers.

Joseph Ndikumana is another farmer who grows taro in Rutana province. He remembers that, during his childhood, elephant ear ensured there would be enough food on the table from February to April. Now, Taro is an important staple food in Burundi – more popular even than sweet potatoes and cassava.

Ms. Nzirubusa works at the multiplication centre. She says that the return of taro is a huge step towards making famine a thing of the past in Burundi. Elephant ear is drought-resistant, well-adapted to local soil conditions, and simple to grow. All you have to do is plant a cutting with some manure. Four to six months later, it’s time to harvest.

Taro crops yield between 10 and 30 tonnes of tubers per hectare. Traditionally, Burundians store the tubers by burying them underground. Taro is very high in starch. It is usually eaten with beans or with amaranth and a bit of salt.

Léonard Butoyi is the engineer who supervises the work at the multiplication centre in Rutana province. In collaboration with the Burundian Ministry of Agriculture, the centre multiplies a variety of taro that is imported from Uganda. Mr. Butoyi says that this imported variety is high yielding and therefore helps meet the nation’s food needs. Even through Rutana is the only province that receives the improved cuttings, taro sprouts are beginning to emerge from the soil in all parts of the country. These sprouts foretell a better future for farmers.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

1 Comment - Post your comment »

Africa: South Africa bans lindane; endosulfan still not covered by Rotterdam Convention (Cape Argus, UN Food and Agriculture Organization)

As of next March, pesticides containing the chemical lindane will be banned in South Africa. Lindane is a neurotoxin, which means that it damages nerve and brain cells. It may also cause cancer. It is also a persistent organic pollutant, meaning that it does not break down in the environment, and it accumulates in the bodies of humans and animals.

Earlier this year, more than 100 students from a girls’ school in Nigeria became ill after eating a meal of beans poisoned with lindane. The government of Nigeria banned the use of lindane shortly thereafter. The chemical is already banned in more than 50 countries and restricted in more than 30 others.

Gerhard Verdoorn is a spokesperson for the Association of Veterinary and Crop Associations of South Africa. He said that lindane no longer fits into “modern pesticide science.” By March 2009, manufacturing, selling, using, or disposing of lindane in South Africa will be prohibited.

Meanwhile, country representatives met in Rome, Italy to discuss hazardous chemicals as part of the Rotterdam Convention. The group could not reach an agreement on the chemical endosulfan, which is commonly used as a pesticide on cotton crops. Endosulfan is also a neurotoxin and possible endocrine disruptor, meaning it may interfere with the body’s natural hormones.

Note to broadcasters: Try to include the names of any locally-used pesticides containing lindane or endosulfan.
-For more information on these and other chemicals, visit: http://pesticideinfo.org/Search_Chemicals.jsp.
-For information on how farmers can protect themselves from health risks associated with pesticide use, visit: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/pwh/2001/9241590998.pdf.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

1 Comment - Post your comment »

Kenya: New legislation would provide legal framework for GMOs (SciDev.Net)

A bill that would provide a legal framework for the cultivation of genetically modified organisms may be passed by the Kenyan government next month, after years of delays. The Biosafety Bill would authorize the National Biosafety Authority to oversee developments in biotechnology, including genetically modified crops.

The legislation was first drafted in 2005, but has faced many obstacles. A group of 53 civil society organizations has created an online petition to oppose the bill. The group claims that genetically modified plants and animals could infiltrate indigenous farms, and that patents and licensing fees could make small-scale farmers dependant on international agri-business.

Alfred Mutua is a spokesperson for the Kenyan government. He maintains that the Biosafety Bill will shield local agriculture from the potentially negative effects of new biotechnology.

The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute has been carrying out laboratory and field research on genetically-modified maize, sweet potato, cassava, and cotton crops.

-For an overview of the history of the Biosafety Bill, go to: http://www.scidev.net/en/agriculture-and-environment/opinions/will-kenyas-biosafety-bill-of-2005-ever-become-la.html.
-The online petition against the bill can be found here: http://www.elci.org/Biosafetypetition%5Cbiosafety_petition.htm.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Notes to broadcasters on chicken feed shortage:

One of the biggest agricultural news stories of the year has been the dramatic rise in food prices. In May, Farm Radio Weekly produced a special edition on this topic, including an article that describes some of the reasons for – and proposed solutions to – rising food prices (http://farmradio.org/english/weekly/2008/05/05/africa-some-reasons-for-and-proposed-solutions-to-the-rising-price-of-food-jeune-afrique-agence-france-presse-and-un-integrated-regional-information-networks/). Most media coverage has focused on the impact to consumers and the struggle of average people to put food on the table.

This story reveals another layer of the situation, which is often referred to as “the food crisis.” The chicken farmers interviewed in this story reflect the reality of many livestock farmers throughout Africa, where the grains used as staple feed have become expensive and difficult to find. This causes hardship for farmers whose livelihoods depend on livestock. It is also a factor in the rising cost of meat.

The following Farm Radio International scripts discuss fodder, an alternative feed source that may be available, even when grains are in short supply:
-“The adventures of Neddy the ParaVet: Fodder trees provide nutritious livestock feed all year” (Package 63, Script 8, April 2002)
-“Good cow feed for all seasons” (Package 30, Script 6, October 1993)

These scripts discuss related issues, including the superior ability of native livestock to survive lean periods, and ways that chickens help in the garden:
-“The role of native breeds in maintaining livestock health: Story ideas for the radio” (Package 63, Script 3, April 2002)
-“Chickens fertilize and weed the garden” (Package 39, Script 4, April 1996)

You may wish to host a call-in/text-in show inviting livestock farmers to discuss their methods of coping with higher feed costs. Some questions to ask include:
-Where do livestock farmers get their feed (for example, do they grow it themselves or buy it)?
-How has the price of livestock feed changed in the past year?
-Have farmers been forced to reduce their livestock numbers as a result?
-Have any farmers sought out alternative feed sources, such as fodder, to maintain their livestock? Have they faced challenges associated with using alternative feed sources (e.g., availability, quantity, and palatability)?
-Do they know of particular livestock breeds that can tolerate lean periods? Are there trade-offs with raising more tolerant breeds?
-Has the price they receive for meat increased?

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Notes to broadcasters on taro:

The scientific name for the plant species commonly called taro or elephant ear is Colocasia esculenta. As this story illustrates, taro is an important tuber crop for Burundian farmers because it is well-adapted to the local soil and climate. It is especially important during times of drought.

There are many health benefits associated with eating taro. You may wish to review the following Farm Radio International scripts to learn more about the value of elephant ear and other nutritious staple foods:
-“Food is medicine: HIV/AIDS and nutrition” (Package 65, Script 7, October 2002)
-“Anemia, a sickness of the blood” (Package 41, Script 12, July 1996)

This Farm Radio script provides more information on the virtues of tuber crops, such as taro: “Cuba rediscovers the value of root crops” (Package 53, Script 3, September 1999)

To learn more about taro, and to see a picture of the plant, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

November 26-28, 2008: Conference on food security and rural development to be held in Ethiopia

From November 26-28, the African Union, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will hold a conference called Ecological Agriculture: Towards Food Security and Sustainable Rural Development in Africa. Aimed at raising the awareness of policy makers so that they can enhance the capacity of Africa’s smallholder farmers, the conference will be held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A draft program for the event can be found at: http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Conferences/2008/november/REA/Programme.doc. For more information, contact: African Union Commission, by telephone at: 251 (11) 552-5844, or by e-mail at: ahono_olembo@yahoo.com.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Asking the right questions

The following is adapted from a section of The Panos Institute of West Africa’s guide to using oral testimonies, entitled Heeding the Voiceless. The guide defines an oral testimony as an “inverted interview,” which is guided by the interviewee rather than the interviewer. This approach may be useful when you wish to speak to people at the grassroots level, especially if you are profiling an individual or group, or seeking to explore the subtleties of an issue. To view the entire guide online, go to: http://www.panos-ao.org/ipao/IMG/pdf_Heeding_the_voiceless.pdf.

The right questions:

Open questions
Because oral testimony interviews focus on individual perspectives, and the significance of events as understood and described by the narrator rather than factual information, it is important to uncover this kind of qualitative information through “open” questions:
- Why do you think this happened?
- What do/did you feel about this?
- What do you think is/was the meaning of this?
- How important is/was this to you/your family/community?
- How does/did this affect you/your family/community?
- How is this different from the situation in the past/now?
- Why do you think that this changed/happens?
- What is your own experience of this custom/event?
- Why did you/your family/community make this decision?
- Do you feel you have/had a choice?
- In what ways could things have been easier/better/more helpful?

Sensitive questions
Sometimes it is very hard to talk about issues that are personal or sensitive. If the topic can be discussed in the third person, it might be easier for the narrator to give an honest reply:
-“I have heard that some women in the community refuse to continue any old practices. What do you think about this?”
-“What is your view about parents who do not want their children to study their mother tongue?”

Prompt and probe questions
These questions can be asked to encourage the interviewee to expand further in a certain direction or go into greater detail:
-Could you tell me more about that?
-Could you explain exactly how the system works?
-Could you please suggest how we could improve the health facilities in our community?

The wrong questions:

Closed questions
These questions tend to elicit yes/no answers and little else. They are useful to establish detail, or clarify, but should almost always be followed by open-ended questions:
-(closed) Had you met him/her before?
-(open) What was your impression when you first met?

Leading questions
These tend to assume an answer and may lead the narrator to respond with a simple yes or no:
-Was that helpful?
-Weren’t you angry when they changed their plans?
-All politicians are dishonest, aren’t they?

Double-barreled questions
A double-barreled question is a question framed in such a way that it demands two or more answers. These questions can confuse, and the narrator will almost always answer only one of the questions:
-When did you marry and what does your husband do?
-What is your favourite radio station and why do you like it and where is it?

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

1 Comment - Post your comment »

Radio stations under attack in Democratic Republic of the Congo

The following news item was reported by followthemedia.com. We invite you to use the comments section of this article to share your experiences of operating a radio station during a period of conflict, and/or share a message of solidarity with the station that was recently attacked in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kiwanja community radio station Ushrika Racou was ransacked and looted Tuesday, November 4, by National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) forces, rendering it unable to broadcast, reported the NGO Benevolencia. The staff fled. Reports that one journalist was shot and killed turned out, happily, to be untrue.

Other community radio stations shut down so staff could find safety and, perhaps, to prevent looting. Dorkia FM, located near the famous mountain gorilla refuge, Virunga National Park, reopened Friday, November 7. UN-funded Radio Okapi is receiving protection from UN peacekeepers.

Most radio stations in the Nord Kivu region are sponsored either by community associations or religious organizations. Goma, the only city of size, has several commercial stations and is home to Radio Okapi. State broadcaster RTNC has stations in Goma and Butembo.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Rachel Awuor Adipo wins this year’s George Atkins Communications Award!

Rachel Awuor Adipo of the Ugunja Community Resource Centre (UCRC), a Farm Radio International partner since 2005, is the winner of the 2008 George Atkins Communications Award. Each year, the George Atkins award is presented to a Farm Radio partner who demonstrates a commitment to food security and excellence in radio broadcasting. UCRC is located in the Siaya District of western Kenya. Rachel has been a prolific script producer, writing an impressive six scripts for Farm Radio over the last few years. In 2006, her script, Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, was a winner of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) scriptwriting competition. This year, her script, Farmers Can Prepare for Changing Weather Patterns, was a winner of the Climate Change Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers scriptwriting competition. Rachel has written four other scripts for Farm Radio International, including: Cooperative Farm Labour: Many Hands Make Work Easier and Storing Cowpea Seeds for a Season and a Reason. UCRC is looking forward to launching a community radio station in the near future, which will help the organization fulfill its mission of “facilitating sustainable development in the community through networking and knowledge exchange.”

An interview with Rachel Awuor Adipo

Rachel came to Ottawa, Canada, in November to attend a ceremony where she received the 2008 George Atkins Communications Award. Farm Radio International’s Development Communication Coordinator, Blythe McKay, interviewed Rachel about winning the award:

Blythe: What does winning this award mean to you?

Rachel: Winning this award means a lot. I feel that the work of my hands is bearing fruits that can be seen not only by my organization but across the globe.

Blythe: What do you think about your visit to Canada?

Rachel: My visit to Canada is like a blessing. I have been able to meet many people. Many have been to Kenya and understand the situation there. I can have an audience with which I can share what we do. Through this, whoever wants to join us [UCRC] to help volunteer or support us, can do that.

Blythe: How will winning this award motivate you in your work?

Rachel: I feel really energized. It motivated me from when I first heard that I received an award. Now that I have it in hand, it is evidence. Even if I die, people will see what kind of achievement I’ve made. I’m going to put more effort into our radio project initiative.

Blythe: What message do you have for radio broadcasters and others in our network?

Rachel: Everybody can! Just keep the candle of using radio as a tool for development in the community alight!

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Journalist for Zodiak Broadcasting wins award for human rights reporting

Journalist Gabriel Kamlomo of Zodiak Broadcasting in Malawi has won one of 30 Every Human Has Rights Media Awards presented by Internews Europe, in partnership with hundreds of local and international media and media development organizations from around the world. Mr. Kamlomo’s award-winning radio report Clinic transfuses HIV blood to 2-year-old uncovered a hospital’s attempt to hide the infection of a child with HIV. He will receive his award at a ceremony in Paris, France, on December 6 – the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Every Human Has Rights Media Awards organizers are now calling on the general public to cast their vote for their favourite piece among the 30 winners. The news piece that receives the most votes will receive the Public Prize Award for the most eye-opening report. The deadline for the public vote is November 30. To see and hear the 30 winning reports and cast your vote, go to: http://media-awards.everyhumanhasrights.org/.

Send article as PDF to PDF Creator | PDF Converter | PDF Software | Create PDF

Post your comment »

Protect your livestock in times of emergency

This week’s featured story by Lilianne Nyatcha looks at how the rising cost of grains has put some Cameroonian farmers in the difficult position of having to sell their poultry at a loss. Other situations that cause food scarcity can put farmers in a similar situation – but there are steps farmers can take to protect their investment in livestock. This week’s script recommends stocking at least one week’s feed supply for livestock, and following other precautionary measures. You can view this script online at: http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/64-3script_en.asp.

Notes to broadcaster

How do farmers in your community prepare their livestock for disasters? If nothing comes to mind, then there’s a good chance that your listeners need information on this topic. Even though many farmers depend on their livestock for food and security, livestock often get forgotten in times of emergency. Let farmers know that they should plan ahead to make sure their cattle, camels, donkeys, pigs and poultry are provided for in emergencies. Advise farmers to take the following precautions:

Make a checklist of all farm animals, and if possible, give them identification marks.
Store enough feed, water and medicines for each animal for a week. Store these supplies at least two feet above ground in dry, flood-resistant areas.
Make sure that livestock housing is sturdy and secure.
Prune tree branches next to livestock housing, so that no branches will fall and hurt the housing/livestock.
If floods are predicted, take livestock to higher ground.
We suggest that you use this program in the Farm Radio International series, “The adventures of Neddy the ParaVet”. See Farm Radio package 63, scripts 7 and 8 (”The value of indigenous veterinary practices” and “Fodder trees provide nutritious livestock feed all year”).

——————————————————————————–

Characters

Program Host
Neddy: Animal Health Worker. Young man, enthusiastic and energetic.
Uncle Chekwa: Farmer. Neddy’s uncle.

Host: Neddy, a local Animal Health Worker is making his rounds, several days after serious flooding affected the farm communities that he serves. One of the first farmers he meets in his travels, is his own uncle.

Neddy: Greetings, Uncle Chekwa!

Uncle Chekwa: Hi Neddy. You look well - I’m so glad! I’ve been worried about the family since the flooding. How is your mother?

Neddy: Mother and the rest of the family are well, thank you, Uncle. In our district, we were not badly affected by the flooding. But I see it is a different story here! All the animal health workers in the region, including myself, have been asked to visit farmers, to see if their livestock need any special care after the flood. Did your hens survive?

Uncle Chekwa: (pause) Neddy…um…I’m sorry to say… my hens are gone.

Neddy: They’re gone? Oh, Uncle… did they drown in the flood? Weren’t you able to save them?

Uncle Chekwa: (sadly) Well…actually…I had to sell them.

Neddy: You sold your chickens? At a time like this? When food is in such short supply?

Uncle Chekwa: I had no choice! We had very little grain stored, and we needed it ourselves, for our own food! I didn’t even have enough clean water for my hens! With no feed and water for the hens… I couldn’t watch them die. So, I sold them. But now we are suffering even more - without the fresh eggs. And our grain stores are gone too.

Neddy: Uncle Chekwa, I know that you depended on those eggs for your daily meals. But listen - next month I can bring you some new chicks. Also, I’ll bring you some maize - if you are still in need.

Uncle Chekwa: Do you mean that you have extra grain to spare?

Neddy: Because this flooding is happening regularly in the country now - every two or three years - I try to be prepared. I keep an extra portion of grain stored for my livestock. I keep enough feed and water to last them for one week. Of course I also keep extra stores for my family. So, yes, I have enough to spare.

Uncle Chekwa: From now on I will keep an extra supply of stored grain and water. But, where should I keep it?

Neddy: Keep it in a safe, dry place, above the ground. And remember, keep enough to last each animal for one week.

Host: Remember the value of your livestock. Prepare ahead to keep them safe and healthy in times of emergency. Here are some things to remember:

Make a checklist of all your animals.
Store extra livestock feed in a high and dry place. Keep enough to last a week.
Store enough water for livestock to last at least one week.
Check that animal housing is safe and secure.

- END -

——————————————————————————–

Acknowledgements
Contributed by: Jennifer Pittet, Thornbury, Ontario, Canada.
Reviewed by: Terry Wollen, DVM, Coordinator of Animal Health, Heifer International.

Information Source
“Communicating hurricane preparedness for agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the Caribbean,” by Maria Protz, in SD Dimensions, 1999, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).