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WRD 2017: Radio Responding To The Drought in Ethiopia - Listener groups


Language: English

Fifteen men are lined up in a row on the teff farm of Teshaye Goitom, in the Hadegti village of western Tigray, Ethiopia. Their pose makes them seem as though they are competing for the hundred meter sprint. But this is not a race. Rather, it is an effort to rescue crops from potential destruction due to a very unusual rainy season: the rains were late in coming, and then when they did come, it was at exactly the wrong time.

The Tigray region is one of the regions that will be most affected by drought this year, as a result of one of the worst El Niño events in recent years coupled with climate change.

“This year we have experienced a delay of rainfall. Now, we are experiencing rainfall just when the crops were maturing — very untimely,” Teshaye explains.

These men are members of a community listening group. Radio is helping this community face the drought. “Radio can help us to deal with these difficulties through providing information on how to cope up with the undesirable effects of the drought,” he said.

The effects of El Niño and the ensuing drought has meant that many farmers have been displaced from their homes and livestock are in danger of starvation. UNICEF has estimated that 350,000 individuals in the region require emergency food aid.

Despite the gravity of the situation, there is hope that the magnitude of the drought can be reduced. Farmers in Tigray want to practice informed drought responses. Gebrehiwot Tesfay, a broadcaster at Dimtsi Weyane Tigray radio station, says that farmers repeatedly asked his radio station provide information on how to cope with the current drought.


on this subject: Celebrate World Radio Day with Farm Radio International


Topics and Tags
Place/region: Ethiopia, Africa
Type: Radio programme
Duration:
Production and personalities:
Coproducer/sponsor: Farm Radio; UNESCO
Rights: CC-BY-SA
 

Original: Audio.MP3
Location: EV only
UMVS reference: AVFONDS-2017-02-13-000415-CI
Rights holder: UNESCO