Considering women farmers support 70% of agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is crucial for them to receive the appropriate, relevant information and resources in a timely and consistent manner. As Kevin points out above, radio used with other media, can help facilitate that.  Rural women tend to have more access to radios than mobile phones, even if they don’t personally own either. Through their own formal and informal networks, women inherently seek out the necessary knowledge they need to produce food for their family and to earn an income at the market. Radio, because of its affordability, accessibility and inclusiveness can strengthen women’s active involvement around agricultural production and marketing. Integrated with SMS programs, twitter, face to face gatherings and extension support, radio can not only reach but involve more women farmers than other ICTs alone.

While access to market prices using ICTs has been widely tested, the challenge is maintaining a reliable, long-term service that is sustainable and effective.  Knowing the price of something doesn’t always answer the right questions for both men and women farmers. Effective radio programs can potentially sustain a market service for farmers and further the discussion around market needs beyond just commodity pricing. Issues around transportation, storage, comparative advantage of commodity and local market selection, production timing, middlemen management and marketing to buyers can be discussed through radio-based and ICT-integrated discussions and forums. 

You can access Farm Radio’s report on MIS and radio

here: http://bit.ly/farmradiomis.