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April 15, 2020Despite growing awareness of the importance of sustainable agriculture, only 0.7% of agricultural land in Kenya is currently dedicated to organic farming.
People Centered Solutions (PCS) patnered with Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) to promote organic farming and sustainable agriculture in Western Kenya.
To address this issue, PCS and PELUM collaborated with local radio stations, including Ingo, Mulembe, Vuka, and West FM, to create a four-week radio series in five targeted counties: Busia, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Vihiga. The radio programs aimed to gather citizen feedback on farming challenges and increase understanding of organic farming.
Local radio presenters hosted the shows, and organic farming experts provided information on soil management, crop rotation, and other topics. Successful local farmers were also interviewed to serve as role models and provide real-life examples of the benefits of organic farming.
Listeners were encouraged to participate in the program by calling in, sharing their experiences, asking questions, and providing feedback. The insights generated through this interactive citizen engagement were invaluable in promoting organic farming in rural communities in the targeted counties.
By identifying barriers and drivers hindering or enabling organic farming in different communities, PCS was able to adapt PELUM's programs to develop training interventions tailored to specific needs. This approach has been highly effective, with many farmers reporting significant increases in crop yields and incomes after adopting organic farming practices. Overall, the use of interactive radio has proven to be a powerful tool for promoting sustainable agriculture and effective citizen engagement in Western Kenya.
