We are a world leader in
Radio for rural development
We are a world leader in
Radio for rural development

We are the only international non-profit organization focused on using radio to help African farming communities help themselves.
Our vision
Prosperous, just and vibrant rural African people and communities.
Our mission
We make radio a powerful force for good in rural Africa—one that shares knowledge, amplifies voices, and supports positive change.
Our story
It all got started on a bumpy bus ride in Zambia back in 1975. It was then that a Canadian broadcaster named George Atkins got a simple but powerful idea that would go on to improve the lives of millions of the world’s most vulnerable farmers.

Our team
Our team consists of more than 100 staff members with a wide range of expertise, a dedicated board of directors and several hard-working volunteers. The vast majority of our staff are locally-based in our country offices and their knowledge of regional contexts, issues and languages is central to our success.
Senior management
Leadership

Kevin Perkins
Executive Director
Kevin Perkins, Executive Director
Kevin has been a leader in the field of international and community development for over 25 years and the executive director of Farm Radio International since 2006. Before that, he worked for the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) in Toronto, where he led their international programs. From 1997 to 2004, Kevin focused on his own neighbourhood in Toronto, establishing the ACCESS Riverdale Community Loan Fund and leading the Riverdale Community Development Corporation as its first executive director. He studied International Development at the University of Toronto and Voluntary Sector Management at York University’s Schulich School of Business.

Gizaw Shibru
Senior Director of Operations
Gizaw Shibru, Senior Director of Operations
Gizaw has over 25 years of experience in community development and humanitarian relief in Africa, including 20 years as the director of Canadian Physicians for Aid & Relief (CPAR) Uganda. He has significant experience planning, implementing, and evaluating a wide range of projects and programs, including in relief, rehabilitation and rural development. Gizaw holds an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and a masters degree in engineering from Karlesruhe Institute of Technology.

Ian Pringle
Senior Director of Programs
Ian Pringle, Director of Programs
Specializing in community-based, outcome-oriented media, communication, and learning, Ian has 30 years of experience in program leadership, development and delivery — including 20 years in developing country contexts. He holds a MA in New Media in Society from the University of Leicester and a BA from McGill University. Formerly a special consultant with UNESCO and media education specialist at the Commonwealth of Learning, Ian has been the Director of Programs at Farm Radio since 2015.

Jean-Marie Niangoran
Senior Director of Finance
Jean-Marie Niangoran, Senior Director of Finance
Jean-Marie has worked in financial management and accounting for more than 15 years, serving organizations within both the international and Canadian non-profit sector as well as the private sector. He holds CPA and CMA accounting designations as well as an MBA from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQÀM). Fully bilingual, Jean-Marie has a depth of experience across western, central and southern African countries.

Abdoul Aziz Zonou
Field Finance Manager
Abdoul Aziz Zonou, Field Finance Manager
Abdoul Aziz is Farm Radio International’s field finance manager. Abdoul has 12 years of experience in the field, including six with Farm Radio. Previously, he worked in the mining, drilling and communication sector.
Based in Burkina Faso, Abdoul graduated with a degree in economics and management from the University of Ouagadougou, and holds a master's degree in finance from EMLYON in France. Abdoul started at Farm Radio as a finance officer for Burkina Faso, then became the regional finance lead for West Africa. Now, he oversees Farm Radio’s finance division across Africa.

Adeyinka Onikan
Head of Specialty Services
Adeyinka Onikan, Head of Specialty Services
Adeyinka has over ten years of expertise in public health programmes in Africa and mental health in Canada. Working with major donors including Bill and Melinda Gates, the Global Fund, USAID, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Wellcome Trust, and Grand Challenges Canada, amongst others. He has a substantial amount of expertise in the areas of project management, donor compliance, business development, and stakeholder management. Adeyinka received his bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. He then went on to get his master's degree in Management and Leadership in Public Health from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. Additionally, he has a certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP)

Andréa Bambara
Senior Country Representative, Burkina Faso & Côte d'Ivoire
Andréa Bambara, Country Representative, Burkina Faso & Côte d'Ivoire
Andrea Bambara is the country representative for Burkina Faso. As a journalist and trainer, she counts decades of experience and expertise in many domains: communication for development training, project management, skills development, gender equality advocacy. Before coming to Farm Radio International, Andrea was a radio broadcaster herself, and made it her mission to amplify the voices of rural people — especially young women.

Benjamin Fiafor
Senior Country Representative, Ghana & Nigeria
Benjamin Fiafor, Senior Country Representative: Ghana & Nigeria
Benjamin Kojo Fiafor is the Country Representative for Ghana with additional responsibility for anglophone West Africa. In the past 13 years, at Farm Radio International, Benjamin has implemented numerous Communication for Development projects focusing on improving livelihoods and food security.
Benjamin is a multi-faceted development expert with skills in program development, process facilitation, project management, advisory practice, and grants management. Altogether, Benjamin comes with 21 years experience in building agricultural development programs, strategic planning, providing leadership, program management and innovations.
Benjamin holds a Master of Arts in Development Studies from the University of Ghana., a degree in Organization and System Development from the Gestalt Center for Organizational and System Development, a BA Honours in Political Science from the University of Ghana Legon and a Post Graduate Certificate in Livelihoods and Markets from the Coady Institute, Saint Francis Xavier University, Canada.

Bernard Pelletier
Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning
Bernard Pelletier, Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning
After nine years on our board of directors, Bernard became a Farm Radio staff member in June 2017 and now oversees all monitoring, evaluation, research and learning activities. From 2000 to 2016, Bernard was a research associate, lecturer and manager of agricultural and international development projects at McGill University, where he obtained his PhD in 2001 which involved extensive research on small-scale farming systems in Malawi.

Brenda Jackson
Fundraising Manager
Brenda Jackson, Fundraising Manager
Brenda has been a proud member of the Farm Radio team since 2006. She manages our fundraising and public engagement efforts, with the goal of creating a model for excellence in donor relations. Brenda feels very fortunate to have had many conversations with Farm Radio’s founder, George Atkins, and to have met him while producing our 30th anniversary video. Prior to Farm Radio, Brenda worked in marketing and communications for more than 10 years.

Caroline Montpetit
Head of Projects
Caroline Montpetit, Head of Projects
With 9 years’ experience in international development, Caroline oversees FRI’s programming in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Senegal and helps to integrate gender equality across our work.
Prior to joining FRI in 2013, Caroline worked internationally in community development and gender equality. She also coordinated international maternal and newborn health projects for the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and conducted research on gender-based violence. Caroline holds an MA in Feminist and Gender Studies and a BA in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa.

Christian Robillard
Head of Stakeholder Engagement
Christian Robillard, Head of Stakeholder Engagement
Christian is a podcaster, fundraiser, philanthropist and leader in the charitable sector. He has over a decade of experience raising funds for charities and nonprofits, as well as advising on marketing and communications strategies.
In addition to his work with Farm Radio, he is the host of 'Beyond the Bake Sale' — a podcast about raising more time, talent and treasure for the causes people care about. In the community, he serves in volunteer leadership roles with United Way Eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Community Foundation, Youth Ottawa, Algonquin College and the Global Shapers Community. Christian has an undergraduate degree in Public Affairs and Policy Management with a Specialization in Social Policy, and a Masters in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, both from Carleton University.

Karen Hampson
Senior Program Development Manager
Karen Hampson, Senior Program Development Manager
Karen has over 20 years’ experience in international development, supporting farming communities on three continents. After two years in Ottawa and five years in Tanzania with Farm Radio, Karen is now based in Europe, where she supports organizational and program strategy and builds partnerships with international organisations and research centres to use radio and ICT-enabled approaches for reaching and engaging with farmers. Karen holds an MSc in Crop Science and a BSc in International Development.

Kathryn Burnham
Manager, Radio Network Services
Kathryn Burnham, Manager, Radio Network Services
Kathryn Burnham works as Farm Radio International’s radio network services manager. Katie brings her experience in journalism and communications to the position.
Based in Ottawa, Canada, Katie is in regular contact with broadcasting partners across Africa by email, WhatsApp and other communication channels, sharing Farm Radio’s radio resources, learning modules, and other services offered by the organisation. Katie and her team also develop new resources and learning opportunities for broadcasters, and ensure they are available in English, French, and other languages. Katie is committed to serving radio broadcasters with the resources and services they need to broadcast high quality radio programming.

Lynn Brown-Harper
Head of Human Resources and Workplace Management
Lynn Brown-Harper, Head of Human Resources and Workplace Management
Lynn is a bilingual professional with over 20 years of experience working at the executive level in human resources and operations within various sectors including the non-profit, geospatial, high-tech, financial, emergency services, manufacturing, consulting and construction industries.
Lynn holds an honours diploma in Business Administration and is a graduate of the Executive Program in Advanced Human Resources Management, University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management, a member of the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario and a Certified Human Resources Professional and Leader (CHRP/CHRL).

Nathaniel Ofori
Digital Innovation Manager
Nathaniel Ofori, Digital Innovation Manager
Nathaniel Ofori works as Farm Radio International's Digital Innovation Manager. Nat has experience in computer and telecommunication engineering.
Based in Accra Ghana, Nat innovates new technology solutions that can enhance power of radio to serve rural listeners in Africa and committed to the creative use of technology in facilitating the intersection of social change between individuals and communities at both the global and local levels.
Nat is a powerful force in the workplace and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed.

Océane Brecq
Project Finance Manager
Océane Brecq, Project Finance Manager
As project finance manager, Océane is in charge of the budget and financial monitoring of programs, from design to closure. Perfectly bilingual, she is a graduate of ESSEC Business School in France and can count on seven years of international experience in financial analysis and budgeting to ensure optimal budget management.

Rex Chapota
Senior Advisor, Strategy and Growth
Rex Chapota, Strategic Opportunities Advisor & Regional Program Manager for East and Southern Africa
Rex was the founding executive director of Farm Radio Trust in Malawi from 2010 until he joined our team in 2018. With two decades’ experience in rural development projects, he is passionate about the potential of radio and other technologies to bring about real change for Africa’s farmers. Rex holds an MSc in Rural Development from the University of London and a BSc and Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Malawi. Rex actively contributes to the Civil Society Network in Agriculture, the Malawi Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services, Girl Effect and Heifer International.

Sylvie Harrison
Manager, Radio Craft
Sylvie Harrison, Manager, Radio Craft
Sylvie joined the Farm Radio staff in 2014 after spending a year volunteering for us in Ghana. Now head of her team, Sylvie works to systematize radio program designs, radio craft training, radio program monitoring and evaluation for quality improvement. She also develops training materials and tools to help broadcasters grow professionally. Sylvie holds a BA in English literature and a teaching degree from Laurentian University and has worked in both private and public broadcasting.

Zelalem Nega
Senior Country Representative: Ethiopia, Kenya & Uganda
Zelalem Nega, Senior Country Representative: Ethiopia, Kenya & Uganda
Zelelam Nega’s career has spanned more than 20 years of public service, working for several government agencies and NGOs. He has considerable experience in leading teams, planning and implementing programs, monitoring and evaluating projects and conducting research.
Zelalem has been working with Farm Radio as Ethiopia’s Head of Programs for the past eight years and more recently as Country Representative, Zelalem’s work has helped Farm Radio and its many partners to reach millions of Ethiopian farmers using Farm Radio’s proven interactive radio approaches. In addition to a Law degree from Addis Ababa University, Zelalem has a master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Haramaya University in Harar.
Country offices
Board of directors

Jean Christie
Chair
Jean Christie, Chair
Jean has worked with civil society organizations for over four decades, in Canada and internationally. Except for a short foray into the domestic not-for-profit sector in Canada, her paid work has been international in scope. She served as the Executive Director of Inter Pares in the 1980s, the Director of International Liaison for the Rural Advancement Foundation International (now the ETC group) in the 1990s, and as Executive Director of the Voluntary Sector Forum in the early 2000s. Since then, she has been engaged as a consultant by a wide variety of civil society organizations. She has a special interest in the relationship between organized citizens and their governments, and in the role of civil society organizations in government and multilateral policy processes.

Mark Elliott
Vice-Chair
Mark Elliott, Vice-Chair
Mark is the co-founder of Venture Accelerator Partners. He has spent over 20 years working on sales and marketing with large enterprises, small medium business, and nonprofits. At VA Partners Mark and the team have worked with over 150 growing organizations since the company’s founding in 2006. Mark has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He is also one of the grandchildren of Farm Radio International founder, Dr. George Atkins. In the past, to support Farm Radio International, Mark organized a yearly curling tournament in Toronto and explored corporate fundraising.

Ravi Gupta
Treasurer
Ravi Gupta, Treasurer
Ravi Gupta has many years of experience in the non-for-profit sector. He started his career in finance with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in 1974. In 1981, he joined the Canadian Red Cross where he was the National Controller until 1989, and then he joined the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada as Director of Finance and Administration. In 1991, he joined the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and worked there until March 2021 as the Associate Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer. Since August 2022, Ravi has been working as a consultant with the Canadian Feed the Children in the role of Interim Vice President Finance.
He played a key role in moving Farm Radio International (then called DCFRN) from Toronto to Ottawa, in partnership with WUSC, and worked closely with the Chair of the Farm Radio Board to ensure a smooth transition.
He has a master’s in political science and is a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA). In 2018, he and his son opened a microbrewery in Carleton Place called Braumeister Brewing Company, and are opening a Braumeister Bierhalle in Ottawa in June 2021.

Chinazom Chidolue
Director
Chinazom Chidolue, Member-at-Large
Chinazom is a Wealth Management Associate at RBC PH&N Investment Counsel in Toronto. Prior to joining the investment management industry, she worked as a public accountant in the audit group of PricewaterhouseCoopers Toronto, where she performed financial statement audits for leading multinational firms in the media, beverage, financial services, and technology sectors. Chinazom was born and raised in Nigeria. She has worked in her family’s large-scale agriculture business in the eastern part of Nigeria.
Chinazom holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and is a graduate of the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Ontario.

Corina Chevalier
Director
Corina Chevalier, Member-at-Large
Corina is a Communications Director at Manulife, an insurance and investment solution company. Before joining Manulife in 2021, she worked at World Vision International (WVI) for over a decade. During her tenure at WVI, she held various roles across the organization, concluding with her role as Manager of Change, Readiness and Communications within the People & Culture (HR) function. In addition to change management and communications, Corina has experience in fundraising, volunteer development, event management, program management and community engagement. Corina lives in Toronto, Ontario. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the University of Guelph and a diploma in Public Relations from Humber College. She is an avid podcast consumer and enjoys doing voiceover work, singing in a women’s choir and abstract painting.

David Gutnick
Director
David Gutnick, Member-at-Large
David Gutnick grew up on the prairies and in the Northwest Territories and has lived in Quebec since 1980. He recently retired from CBC radio. His first story was about a group of Inuit teenagers who were billeted with families in Quebec City so they could go to school in French.
Over three decades David told thousands of radio stories about people he has met all over the world. "Beethoven's Bust," a documentary about a young piano student and her teacher, won a gold medal at the New York Radio Festivals; "Jennifer's Diary" — the daily audio diary of a Montreal woman living in the streets — won first prize from the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. David's documentary "The Gristle in the Stew," about the lawsuit led by former patients of Ontario schools for compensation for the intellectually disabled, was honoured by The United Nations.
David has taught many courses about documentary production including in Fana, Mali, for Farm Radio International. David studied at Dalhousie University and holds a Baccalauréat en études littéraires from l'Université Laval. David is the author of the children's book Mr Mergler, Beethoven, and Me and Jaswant Guzder: Navigating East West Hybridities.

Eshete Hailu
Director
Eshete Hailu, Member-at-Large
Eshete Hailu has worked in the field of evaluation and accountability for several years. He is currently working for Health Canada as policy manager. He has previously worked in evaluation roles with Health Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and as evaluation consultant with the Canadian International Development Agency and has also worked with the International Development Research Center, War Child Canada, and the Group of 78. Eshete received his B.A. in Economics from Asmara University, his M.A. in Economics from the University of Guelph and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Development and Cooperation from the University of Ottawa.

Gisèle Yasmeen
Director
Gisèle Yasmeen, Member-at-Large
Gisèle Yasmeen was appointed Associate Vice-President, International at the University of Ottawa on February 2nd, 2023. She was previously Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia since the fall of 2014. Her expertise is in food systems, on which she has published and consulted both domestically and internationally since the early 1990s. Gisèle is also the former Executive Director of Food Secure Canada — a bilingual, pan-Canadian organization with public policy influence. In addition, she is a former senior executive with the federal government, most notably serving as Vice-President of Research and Partnerships at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for seven years. She has advised numerous Canadian and international clients and has served on a number of boards of directors.
Gisèle comments regularly in the English and French media, and has studied Spanish, Thai, Urdu and Mandarin. She holds a PhD from UBC, an MA from McGill and an Honours BA from the University of Ottawa.

Gulzar Samji
Director
Gulzar Shamji, Member-at-Large
Gulzar is an independent consultant on international development, the empowerment of women and children, alleviating ultra-poverty, and the environment. She has worked with all levels of government and provided training to visiting government and non-government delegations including those from Indonesia, China, and India. She was appointed as an NGO representative on Canada’s delegation to the UN Preparatory Meetings for the 4th World Conference on Women. She has also served as a member of the Human Rights Tribunal for the Government of Canada. Gulzar is currently the vice president of the Women’s World Summit Foundation, an international organization whose focus is empowering rural women and preventing violence against women and children. She has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Makerere University in Uganda and a post-graduate diploma in Animal Physiology and Biochemistry from the Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations Faculty at Royal Agricultural and Veterinary University in Denmark.

Jared Klassen
Director
Jared Klassen, Member-at-Large
Jared Klassen has worked on global food security for the past decade, supporting and building coalitions for effective policy change. Previously, Jared worked for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Mennonite Central Committee, and a number of coalitions of international charities. Jared’s overseas experience has focused on agriculture and food security, community-based health programs, and local business development in places such as Southern Africa, India, and Latin America.

Jo-Anne Bund
Director
Jo-Anne Bund, Member-at-Large
Jo-Anne is a lawyer based in Calgary, Alberta. She is General Counsel for Energy Safety Canada, a national not-for-profit safety association. She has experience with legal matters related to boards, governance, human resources and corporate finance. Prior to commencing her legal career, Jo-Anne obtained a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from the University of Toronto, during which time she volunteered with the United Nations Environment Program in Kenya and a Kenyan environmental non-governmental organization. Jo-Anne also previously worked with Canada World Youth and was a participant in a CWY exchange in Somalia. Jo-Anne holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Calgary.

Morag Humble
Director
Morag Humble, Member-at-Large
Morag has been working in international development for over 25 years, focused primarily on gender and women’s health issues. She is a senior project manager and gender team co-lead at Agriteam Canada. She has managed or contributed as a technical advisor to projects in Pakistan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. From 1999 to 2001 she was field director for a health and population project in Bangladesh, and from 2011 to 2014 she was a health and HIV/AIDS technical advisor at the Canadian Cooperation Office in Mozambique. She served for many years on the Board of Directors of Action Canada for Population and Development and Canadians for Choice, stepping down after the successful merger of those two organizations with the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health. She has a BA (University of Alberta) and MA (Carleton) in Political Science, and a Master’s of Public Health from Harvard University.

Mwatima Juma
Director
Mwatima Juma, Member-at-Large
Mwatima Juma has 30 years of expertise in rural agricultural development in mainland Tanzania and in Zanzibar – where she is originally from. Mwatima Juma is a Chairperson of the Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM) and director of Msonge Organic Family Farm, a commercial permaculture farm of fruits and vegetables. She is also a board member for the advisory Committee for Farm Radio's Tanzanian office. Formerly, Mwatima worked for the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) as country programme officer for Tanzania as rural development specialist.

Nora Young
Director
Nora Young, Member-at-Large
Nora Young is the host and the creator of Spark, CBC’s national radio show and podcast about technology and culture. She was the founding host of the CBC Radio show, Definitely not the Opera, where she often focused on new media and technology.
As a journalist, author, and speaker, Nora explores how new technology shapes the way we understand ourselves and the world around us. She has a particular interest in how new digital technologies can flatten hierarchies, spread ideas, and foster more sustainable environments. Her book, The Virtual Self, on the explosion of data about our behaviours, opinions, and actions, is published by McClelland and Stewart. She is an avid hobby podcaster and radio fan, though her favourite technology is her bicycle.

Pierre Kadet
Director
Pierre Kadet, Member-at-Large
Pierre is a food security and nutrition specialist with over 15 years of academic, humanitarian assistance, and development aid experience in sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin and Central America. He is currently Mennonite Economic Development Associates’ (MEDA) Senior Regional Director for the West Africa, Middle East and North Africa regions. Pierre has worked previously with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Norwegian Refugee Council, Action Against Hunger, CARE Canada, and as an independent consultant. Pierre holds a PhD in Physical Geography and Rural Planning from Montpellier University in France.

We strive to be accountable to the donors and funding partners who make our work possible by making the most of all funds received and reporting transparently and holistically on our results each year.
Annual reports
Financials
Our progress
What we're learning
We know that no matter how much we achieve, we've always got space to learn and improve. Sometimes these lessons come from what has worked well in a project — and sometimes they come from what hasn't!
Accountability and Policies
Farm Radio International is committed to maintaining a high standard of ethics in our work. As such we have developed a series of policies for our staff as they conduct their duties and responsibilities:
- Farm Radio International's Statement of Values
- Farm Radio International's Policy on Protection from Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse
- Farm Radio International's Gender Equality and Inclusion Policy
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Frequently asked questions
Do you want to know more about who we are, how we work, or how to support us?
If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.
Contact us
1-888-773-7717 (toll free) or 613-761-3650
1404 Scott Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 2N2, Canada
General inquiries: info@farmradio.org
Partnership inquiries: partnerships@farmradio.org
Media inquiries: media@farmradio.org
Are you a broadcaster in Africa? Get in touch with our Radio Network team: radio@farmradio.org
