Afghan farming families need up-to-date information on how to improve their operations. Two decades of conflict have left farmers
far behind the rest of the world when it comes to new technologies, improved crop varieties,
and methods.

Radio is the most popular and effective media in Afghanistan. With
a literacy rate of just 31%, Afghans rely on radio for information and entertainment. Under the Taliban provincial radio stations, owned and operated by the government, were forbidden to play music. Broadcasts were limited to "The Voice of Shariat" and there was not much opportunity for independent, creative programming that responded to the needs of the audience.

A workshop for radio reporters designed to increase agricultural programming was held in
Kabul on April 20-24, 2003 at the headquarters of Internews organization. The workshop was presented by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) Communications in collaboration with Internews organization and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Seventeen reporters from thirteen Provinces attended the workshop and completed the 5-day course. They visited agricultural research stations along with progressive local producers of vegetables, poultry and dairy products. Instruction was provided in basic journalism, interview techniques and creative production.

ICARDA/Kabul staff provided agricultural expertise along with representatives from the Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the International Fertilizer Development Corporation. Topics ranged from water management and fertilizer application to genetic resources. Each participant selected a specific topic, conducted interviews with appropriate resource people and wrote a 3-minute script which was recorded there, at the Internew's studio.

At the conclusion of the workshop, everyone was presented with a CD containing all 17 broadcast-ready programs to take back to their home radio stations. The programs, recorded in Dari and Pashto, were entitled "Dialog in Agriculture." The range of topics included: improved seed, livestock, pest management, poultry, home gardens, horticulture and bee-keeping. On the last day, awards were presented to reporters who had produced the most informative and useful program.

This workshop is part of a larger effort to increase the quality and quantity of agriculture-related messages on radio. Mr. Enayat Safi, ICARDA/Kabul communications associate, has just completed training in radio production at Internews. He is fluent in Dari, English and Pashtu. Mr. Safi will not only produce agricultural content for broadcast, he will work in partnership with other producers and serve as a liaison between agricultural experts and broadcasters. By providing translations from journals and contact with scientists, other Afghan producers will be able to develop content that is tailored to building the agricultural economic infrastructure.

Agricultural Journalism Workshop Participants

For more information on Ag Radio:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)