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July 2002

Rural radio and food security

by Jean-Pierre Ilboudo
and Carine Rouah
Extension, Education and Communication Service
FAO Research, Extension and Training Division

In February 2001, the Extension, Education and Communication Service organized an international workshop on rural radio in Rome. Entitled "Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs): New Contents, New Partnerships", this meeting brought together radio broadcasters and experts from Africa, the United States and staff from international organizations, all of whom were interested in the promotion of rural radio.

Participants expressed their need for content for their radio programmes, specifically need to receive scientific and technical information.

FAO's technical divisions contributed to the workshop, identifying various areas related to food security which could be of interest to rural radio stations:

1. The Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS)
2. Improving nutrition and food quality
3. Agricultural biodiversity and genetic resources
4. World Agricultural Information Center
5. Agricultural marketing and food security
6. Forestry and food security
7. The post-harvest sector : Is producton alone sufficient?
8. Food security and information systems
9. The Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWSFA)
10. Environment and natural resources service : agrometeorology
11. Sustainable Fisheries Livelihoods Programme, rural radio and food security

Click here to go to the full article in French, or here to go to the fact sheets in English.