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Tanzanian farmer Florian Gitu Kwaslema now listens to the radio regularly. He is so enthusiastic about reports on organic farming and agroecology that he has converted his farm. This is also a success for the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED), which supports this radio project together with other international organizations.
Farmer Florian Gitu Kwaslema lives with his wife and their four children in a village in the north of Tanzania, a few hours’ drive from the nearest larger town. Until a few years ago, he cultivated his fields in the conventional way: he bought expensive seeds from agricultural companies, used synthetic chemical pesticides and artificial fertilizers and, at the time, thought this was the only right way to farm.
Until he heard a radio program about sustainable agriculture from Farm Radio International (FRI) for the first time three years ago. Fascinated by this concept, he quickly changed his method. He then joined a group of farmers and began listening to the programs regularly. He gradually learned to manage his farm using sustainable and organic methods of agroecology. FRI provided his group with a solar-powered GPS radio with a recording function so that the members could listen to the broadcasts if they didn’t have the time. They submitted questions via SMS and received feedback in the next broadcast: an efficient learning method.
The effort paid off
Florian Gitu Kwaslema invested time, money and effort – and is now a success. He set a good example and now inspires others. He discusses the content of the programs with like-minded people in his group and tests out what he has learned. Today, he harvests seeds from his own fields and uses the manure from his own cows as fertilizer. He fights pests with organic products. His income has increased and he can invest some of it in his house. He is a sought-after expert in his neighborhood – neighboring farmers who have witnessed the change come and ask him for advice on how to make the transition.
More about this LED project
The LED has been supporting this project in Tanzania since the beginning of 2024. Together with its international partners Biovision and Farm Radio International, the LED has helped to ensure that over 80% of radio listeners have already heard about agroecological methods. There are currently five radio stations involved in this project with a potential listening reach of around 5 million. By 2027, a further ten stations are to be added and the number of people sensitized to agroecological methods is to double from around two million today to at least four million – and at least 1.2 million of them are to apply these agroecological practices, just as farmer Florian Gitu Kwaslema is already doing today. Another goal is to establish a self-sustaining business model for radio programs on agroecology.
Captions (Photos: Amini Suwedi, mfG from Biovision)
Picture 1: Florian Gitu Kwaslema (left) and his father (right) listen to radio programs for farmers using a solar battery-powered device provided by Farm Radio. The radio programs offer lessons and advice on sustainable organic farming. With the device, Florian can record the programs and share them later with other farmers. (All pictures: Amini Suwedi, mfg of the Biovision Foundation)
More pictures on request:
Image 2: Thanks in part to radio professionals like Lydia Kishia and the interactive broadcasts, millions of people in Tanzania are now aware of agroecological methods.
Image 3: Thanks to the programs, farmer Florian Gitu Kwaslema receives techniques and advice specifically for organic farming and livestock breeding. He has now successfully converted his farm to organic farming and agroecological farming methods.
Contact for the media: A. Ospelt, alexandra.ospelt@led.li, (T) +423 222 09 79 or (M) 782 09 79
Article in the Liechtensteiner Vaterland of Saturday, 2.11.24
Florian Gitu Kwaslema (left) and his father (right) listen to radio programs for farmers with a solar battery-powered device provided by Farm Radio. More about this in a radio report (Radio L, 11.11.24)
