Philip Akafo’s Story

Ben Fiafor is Farm Radio International’s National Research Coordinator in Ghana. He writes about how one farmer, Philip Akafo, changed his life for the better by listening to Farm Radio’s participatory radio programs conducted through the African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFFRI).

Here, Farm Radio programs are improving the living conditions for farmers in Ghana. It is working more effectively than we thought possible!

One smallholder farmer I met was Philip Akafo in the Dangme East district of the Greater Accra region of Ghana…

Philip had struggled as a smallholder farmer and not been able to make much of an income. Now he is faring well raising chickens, pigs and goats. He built his livestock up after learning from local farm radio broadcasts about building housing for his animals to protect them from predators and disease and to allow them to grow more quickly.

Philip says:

Through the (AFRRI) animal housing program and Radio Ada I learned that if you house an animal they develop faster. Alternatively, if you leave them (to) walk around and you are not around to watch them, they can disturb someone and be killed. Most of my animals would die before I have the chance to sell them. Now I farm fowl, pigs and goats… Since the program I have housed my animals and they are safe, they do not get stolen and are less susceptible to disease. They also make good profit.

Through the radio programming, we are able to tell our neighbours to house their animals therefore having a wave of change in the community since our old ways aren’t working very well. What we would like now to see is investments being done such as being given resources to be able to afford to keep all our animals housed and healthy. Educational programs such as (those on) animal housing should be aired because it is helping us as a community to advance.

The radio station in Ceasarkope (Radio Ada) reaches one million listeners, and 90% of them are small-scale farmers.

Philip’s story is one of thousands of farmers who have improved their quality of life through the support of Farm Radio International. Since our locally adapted scripts were broadcast by Radio Ada, over 90% of the farmers in communities who received the radio programs started building housing for their animals.

Am seeing first-hand the power a simple technology like radio has in helping farmers and their families overcome water and food security and poverty issues. Many farmers have conveyed thanks to Farm Radio and say they feel empowered by our programs.

Ben Fiafor

National Research Coordinator, Ghana

Farm Radio International

In addition to the AFRRI farm radio programs, Farm Radio International has produced scripts on livestock health: click here to read scripts on this topic.

To read more on the amazing results of Farm Radio International’s AFFRI Participatory Radio Campaigns, click here.

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