FAO services international, regional, and community radio networks and national broadcasters. Our newsroom offers, free of charge, online audio files on FAO's related events and programmes.
FAO declines all responsibility for the opinions expressed by the interviews in this web site. The mention or omission of specific companies, their products or brand names does not imply any endorsement or judgement by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
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NERICA rice and returnees in Northern Uganda: intertwined stories |
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With the prevailing and continuing peace in the northern part of Uganda, more than 1,5 million Internally Displaced Persons or IDPs are expected to return to their original land.
More than 20 years in camps have weakened the farming capacity of displaced farmers and returnees. The government of Uganda has partnered with Japan and FAO in order to bring support to vulnerable groups, anchor them on their ancestral land and help them produce their own food through improved rice based farming systems. (FAOPhoto/Walter Astrada)
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| Part 1 |
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This radio reportage is a World Food Day production under the 2009 theme Achieving food security in times of crisis
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| Duration:
11min.52sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
| Part 2 |
| Duration:
10min.27sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
| Part 3 |
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Reportage/writer: Liliane Kambirigi (FAO)-
Narrator: Charmaine Wilkerson (FAO)-
Radio engineering: Eric Deleu (FAO)-
Technical advisors: FAO Uganda, FAO's Plant Production and Protection, FFS facilitators/Uganda
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| Duration:
9min.53sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
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Rice farming in Uganda - Three stories of young farmers
(©FAO Photo/Walter Astrada - Internally Displaced People camps or IDPs)
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| 1. Farmer Field School: a hands-on approach by trained facilitator |
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Rubi Ochieng guides rice farmer groups in Abongomola county, APAC District, Central Uganda
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| Duration:
7min.10sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
| 2. Post-war healing and feeding |
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Grace Albino is a 35 year old mother of 8 children; in addition, she and her husband shelter six orphans left by her husband's brother. Grace is hopeful that NERICA rice will improve their livelihoods.
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| Duration:
2min.45sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
| 3. A new active life, IDP camps way behind |
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Alphonso Oyo is back to his native county, Padibe-East, Kitgum District. At the age of 37, he chairs a 30 member-group of other young farmers, the CAN-ONIANG Group, and animates it with motivation and passion. Solidarity and unity characterize the group. His native language is Acholi. He’s also fluent in English as you will notice further in the interview FAO had with him, where he lives, near the Ugandan-Sudanese border. This is his story.
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| Duration:
6min.32sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
Regreening Thousand Hills in Rwanda’s Wetlands towards 2020 |
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The government of Rwanda, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization partner in programmes for a wiser use of Wetlands for food security.
It is an uphill task, but in the highlands and the lowlands, Rwanda is slowly but surely restoring the slopes of its thousand hills. Many of them are green once more, but still in poor condition due to environmental degradation, mainly caused by human activity and the ravages of the war and genocide of 1994.
Determined to carve a brighter future and backed by strong political will, this country in Africa’s Great Lakes region has developed a strategy and launched a series of initiatives aimed at reducing poverty and protecting its natural heritage, with a target of 2020.
The following is a reportage in Rwanda, undertaken in October 2008
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| Duration:
17min.16sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (16.585 KB) |
AMARC Covers World Food Day Challenges Focusing in Poverty Reduction,Food Security and Climate Change |
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Montreal, 15 October 2008--The worldwide community radio network of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, AMARC cover World Food Day, on October 16th, 2008 by emphasizing the
struggle against poverty and focusing on Food Security and the
Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy. AMARC will also be covering
the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) activities for the World
Food Day as part of the recently signed worldwide partnership agreement
between the two organisations, for a strategic alliance to reinforce
their collaboration in the field of rural radio, in order to contribute
to rural development and natural resources. (all languages)
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AMARC, brings together
a network of more than 4,000 community radios, Federations and community
media stakeholders in more than 115 countries.
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Rwanda: A wiser use of wetlands for Food Security |
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In the aftermath of the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has struggled to restore its degraded thousand hills, in order to protect and promote the normal functioning marshlands and better manage the watersheds. To this effect, four major wetland complexes in Rwanda have been considered to be critical ecosystems, for which an integrated program management is a priority.
With a strong political will, the government of Rwanda is determined to respect international engagements on Environment while securing food for all. Two officials of Rwanda have this to say, on the occasion of World Food Day 2008 (Theme: "World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy" )
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| (©FAOPhoto/Giulio Napolitano)/Producer: Liliane Kambirigi/Studio Engineer: Ricardo Parenti |
Two officials of Rwanda have this to say, on the occasion of World Food Day 2008 (Theme: "World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy")
1. Minister of Natural Resources, Mr Stanislas Kamanzi
2. Director-General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA): Ms Rose Mukankomeje
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mp3 |
EU and FAO help Burundi Batwa minority reintegrate |
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“I think Batwa are really representative of what a lot of Burundians have gone through,” says Eric Pitois of the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), which provided FAO with financial assistance to support this community.
Charmaine Wilkerson, Producer/
Maarten Roest, co-Producer
(FAO Photo: Batwa's traditional hut)
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In cooperation with ECHO/EU
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mp3 |
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Developing disease-free cassava in Burundi
Burundi is one of the signatories of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources. Thanks to the Treaty, which came into force on 29 June 2004, more than 115 countries worldwide are part of a unique 'gene pool' designed to preserve plant varieties that are crucial to producing our most important food sources.
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Burundi was also severely hit by an aggressive plant virus that decimated cassava harvests throughout the Great Lakes region and brought hunger to thousands of people. The urgency of developing disease-free cassava and getting it to the people who needed it most, led to a highly fruitful alliance of genetic researchers in their laboratories and agronomists more accustomed to the rough life of emergencies, with the support of EU/FAO cooperation.
Reportage: Charmaine Wilkerson
Video engineer: Stuart Mabey
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| Duration:
3min.42sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
Views from Web 2.0 Conference participants |
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The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) - is an international network of civil society organisations dedicated to empowering and supporting groups and individuals working for peace, human rights, development and protection of the environment, through the strategic use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), including the internet.
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APC Executive Director and participant to the Web 2.0 Conference in Rome, South African Anriette Esterthuysen, delivered a keynote speech in which she warned the audience against some of the dangers of a too much open space on Web 2.0 . But she can also tell success stories.
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| Duration:
3min.55sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
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"Kabissa" - - is determined to give more space to Civil Society for change in Africa. By attending Web 2.0 Conference in Rome, Tobias Eigen wants to demonstrate his commitment to support the important work of NGOs and Civil Society in Africa by helping them to networking.
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| Duration:
6min.14sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
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Reports from 'Highway Africa', Grahamstown, South Africa (10-12 Sept. 07)
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2. Despite challenges that are currently in Zimbabwe, Youth organizations still see web 20 as a mechanism that would promote free flow of information in spite of stringent laws that prevents people to enjoy freedom of press and freedom of association. Head of Zimbabwe Youth Movement, Mr Innocent Ncube spoke lengthily about their challenges and aspirations to also have access to Web 2.0 to empower rural and urban youth communities.
Interviewee: Mr Innocent Ncube, Head of Zimbabwe Youth Movement
Interviewer: Dibuseng, Theta FM & Nkgowa Media
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| Duration:
7min.32sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
3. A Voices of Africa is a Web 2.0 news and information website that encourages ordinary people and professionals to use mobile phones to share video footages about news that are taking place in their own communities. They are currently piloting the project in Mozambique, Ghana and South Africa. Voices of Africa Director in South Africa explains their plans to make this as successful tool that would use web 2.0 to benefit all communities in Africa
Interviewee: Elles Van Gelder
Interviewer: Chris Kgadima, Nkgowa Media
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| Duration:
5min.18sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
4. Bob Sankofa is a Swahili photo boggler and Khaya Dlanga is a South African video –boggler. The two gentlemen share with us their experiences on boggling to foster social communication among individuals and communities. They also tell us how important is web2.0 techniques in providing people whose voices are not normally heard on the mainstream media an opportunity to get their stories to also get heard.
Interviewee (s) - Bob Sankofa, Swahili photo boggler and Khaya Dlanga -South African video –boggler
Interviewer: Chris Kgadima, Nkgowa Media
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| Duration:
10min.12sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
5. Breeze FM has been instrumental in supporting agriculture programming that seeks to empower local farmers who do not have other alternative access to relevant information for their needs. Though the station broadcast to the majority of the rural population in the eastern province of Zambia and some parts of neighboring Malawi, they did not give up using few ICTs tools .The Station Manager, Mr Mike Daka takes us through the success stories of their stations in using few ICTs tools they are exposed to. He also acknowledge the fact that failure to keep up with new ICT developments such as Web2.0, they are likely to find it difficult to continue with their work to support local farmers meaning fully.
Interviewee: Mr Mike Daka, Breeze FM
Interviewer: MM Ngcobo
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| Duration:
11min.58sec. |
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Format:
mp3 |
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April 2006, Rome -- FAO has a programme in urban forestry through which it supports member countries in information sharing, project identification and formulation and participatory development of municipal strategies and master plans for urban forestry. However, in current urban greening initiatives professional foresters and urban architects still have a minor role. We recently met few of them at a Workshop on Urban and Peri-urban Forestry and Greening in West and Central Asia, in Rome. The following interviews highlight the importance of urban trees and related vegetation in and around densely populated areas in both industrialized and developing countries, implications of urbanization for development co-operation, benefits of urban forests, poverty alleviation, innovative public-private partnerships and multiresource management.
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Part 1
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Dr. Kamel Mahadin, a Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Jordan, Amman, reported that his country makes considerable investments in greenery policies:
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| Duration:
5min.12sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (2,498 KB) |
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Part 2
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"Give me cultivation, I'll warrant you a civilization" (Late UAE President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan).
The UAE has a long tradition of agriculture and public gardens for millenniums and Sheikh Zayed's objective was to contribute to a greener capital city and improve the livelihoods. Today, his example is followed by dedicated nationals like Mr. Abdul Sattar AL-MASHHADANI, a Consultant in Water Science in Middle East and Abu Dhabi Municipality and Dr. Mohamed Rasheed, a Horticulture Engineer who works for the Abu Dhabi Municipality:
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| Duration:
3min.35sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (1.725 KB) |
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Part 3
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Public awareness in Armenia and partnership with experienced Urban Forestry Research Centres in Europe
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| Duration:
5min.3sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (2.424 KB) |
The Cameroonian mangrove: a habitat at risk |
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This is a 4 part-feature on protecting and conserving mangroves to sustain livelihoods in Cameroon. This radio reportage (transcript) took place in December 2005 and highlighted efforts by the Cameroonian government and FAO for a participatory management of the biological diversity of mangrove ecosystems. In January 2006, Cameroon ratified the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Irak, 1997)- (FAO Photos)
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Part 1
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The mangrove situation in Cameroon and around the world:
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| Duration:
4min.53sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (2,349 KB) |
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Part 2 Fuel wood to smoke fish should be used in a sustainable manner:
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| Duration:
4min.44sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (2,276 KB) |
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Part 3 Involving the community and society can safeguard the environment and guarantee a sustainable food security:
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| Duration:
4min.55sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (2,364 KB) |
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Part 4 Countries are invited to ratify the 1997 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands:
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| Duration:
4min.19sec. |
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Format:
mp3 (2,079 KB) |
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