Providing groundnut farmers with the information they need to improve the quality of their harvest
Malawian broadcaster Pilirani Chimutu Mazizi: George Atkins Communications Award winner
Groundnut (peanut) farmers in Malawi have been enjoying, and learning, from Tipindule ndi Mtedza (Profiting from Groundnuts), a radio program airing on Mudziwathu Community Radio since October 2013.
Tipindule ndi Mtedza has been providing groundnut (peanut) farmers with information on all stages of the groundnut value chain, including pest control, post-harvest practices such as drying and sorting, and marketing information as part of our “Radio for farmer value chain development” project.
A value chain is the series of steps a product must undergo before it reaches market, each one adding value. With more information, farmers can better profit from the agricultural value chains of which they are part.
Pilirani Chimutu Mazizi is one broadcaster helping farmers to do just that. Her work was recognized with a 2015 George Atkins Communications Award for her dedication to farm radio broadcasting, demonstrated by her nine years of work with Mudziwathu Community Radio in Mchinji District, Malawi.
Pilirani has a diploma in journalism and has participated in several trainings by FRI. She has contributed to FRI’s multi-year African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI) and on a project called Farmer Voice Radio with Farm Radio Trust and the American Institute for Research.
Her work on Tipindule ndi Mtedza has seen great results. More than 50 per cent of farmers who have heard her program are now using ridge spacing when planting groundnuts, and 83 per cent are now sorting their groundnuts before taking them to market.
Linesi Banda is one farmer who has benefited from information shared as part of the value chain project. “Before 2012, I did not know how to harvest, dry, grade or store my groundnuts, and that was why I am bringing poor groundnuts to the market.”
Now, Linesi, and thousands of farmers like her, have the information they need to not only improve their harvest, but improve the quality of their products so they can receive a better price at the market.
The George Atkins Communications Award recognizes rural radio broadcasters for their outstanding commitment and contribution to food security and poverty reduction in low-income countries. Learn more about the award and past winners.