Celebrating our 500th issue of Barza Wire

Farm Radio International has been producing resources for radio broadcasters for 40 years—since May 1979. But this week, we celebrate another milestone: our 500th issue of Barza Wire.

Barza Wire is our online weekly agricultural news service, which shares stories, resources, and opportunities with our readers. Our Farmer stories share the challenges and innovations of small-scale farmers so that farmers in one location can learn from farmers in other—sometimes faraway—places.

Farm Radio International launched Barza Wire 11 years ago, in December 2007, to provide radio broadcasters with good content and resources that help them produce interesting and informative radio programs. Since our launch, we have grown our audience to 4,950 subscribers who receive Barza Wire in their inbox on a regular basis.

But we are reaching more than just radio broadcasters. Our readers include farmers themselves, as well as researchers and individuals working for NGOs. More than 80 per cent of our subscribers live in sub-Saharan Africa, so our stories and resources focus on issues that affect their communities and livelihoods.

We know that our readers use these stories and resources in a variety of ways: to broadcast as part of their radio program, to learn from and draw inspiration, to develop news bulletins, and to share with colleagues and farmer groups.

For example, Paulin Mabunda from Radio Communautaire Bonga in Democratic Republic of Congo told us that his station broadcasts a bulletin each week using Farm Radio resources. He also uses our resources to plan programs and organize farmer training sessions.

“Our radio has an impact at the community level because of the resources of FRI,” he says.

Innocent Muhala, a broadcaster at Radio Communautaire Luvungi in Democratic Republic of Congo, told us how he used our resources.

“Thank you for the newspaper that you produce. Each time there is a publication, we broadcast it on Radio Communautaire Luvungi (rural radio) in the program ‘Jamii Na Maendeleo’ (The community and development). The farmers like it very much. They prefer to have profound information,” he says.

All of these stories are produced thanks to an excellent network of freelance writers, our dedicated bureau chiefs, and reliable editors. You can access Barza Wire stories online (wire.farmradio.fm), by email (subscribe here: http://wire.farmradio.fm/en/subscribe), or by WhatsApp (send us an email at radio@farmradio.org with your phone number).

We hope that you enjoy the next 500 issues of Barza Wire!