Backgrounders
Backgrounders are brief introductions to important and technical topics and Answers to frequently asked questions share key information on a topic.
Use this information to plan an episode or series of episodes on the topic, to prepare for an interview, or to answer questions from callers.
- All
- Agriculture
- Aquaculture
- Children and youth
- Climate change
- Community development
- Crop production
- Energy
- Environment and climate change
- Gender equality
- Health
- Hygiene and sanitation
- Land issues
- Livestock and beekeeping
- Marketing and market information
- Nature-based Solutions
- Nutrition
- Post-harvest activities
- Social issues
- Soil health
- Trees and agroforestry
- Water management
Soil erosion
Save and edit this resource as a Word document. Why is this subject important to listeners? Soil erosion reduces crop yields and silts up waterways, resulting in lower crop production, flooding, and pollution. On average, past soil erosion on agricultural land in Africa has reduced yields by more than 8% since the land was first…
Soil fertility
Save and edit this resource as a Word document. Introduction Soil fertility has been defined as “the capacity of soil to supply sufficient quantities and proportions of essential nutrients and water required for optimal growth of specified plants as governed by the soil’s chemical, physical, and biological attributes.” Agriculture is the main source of both…
Cowpea post-harvest activities
Introduction and how to use this issue pack This issue pack is designed to give radio broadcasters the information needed to create effective and entertaining radio programs about post-harvest activities in cowpea. It talks about post-harvest cowpea in northern Ghana, but you can easily adapt the information to other sub-Saharan African countries where cowpeas are…
Maize production
Save and edit this resource as a Word document. Introduction: Maize is the most important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa, and can be grown by farmers in many different environments without irrigation. In addition to being an important source of food for humans, it is the most effective of all the cereal grains as a…
Growing tef
Introduction Ethiopians plant more tef than any other cereal, and produce and consume more tef than any other cereal except maize. Approximately five million Ethiopian households grow tef on about three million hectares of land. The scientific name of tef is Eragrostis tef, and the crop is believed to have originated in Ethiopia. Tef accounts…
Chicken diseases
Story about dealing with chicken diseases Sogodogo Sarata Berthé is a 65-year-old widow living in Bougouni, 165 kilometres from Bamako, the capital of Mali. After retiring from the Malian postal service, Sarata completely shifted to raising poultry. But like any woman wanting to become an entrepreneur, she faced challenges.She started by successfully raising local chickens…
Raising guinea fowl for food and income
Why is this subject important to listeners? Men and women in many countries can improve their families’ food and nutrition intake and make good money at the market by raising guinea fowl. But farmers must follow good practices to reap the benefits! What are some key facts? Guinea fowl meat is nutritious and the birds’…
Cowpea production
Introduction and how to use this issue pack This issue pack is designed to give radio broadcasters the information needed to create effective and entertaining radio programs about growing cowpea. It talks about growing cowpeas in northern Ghana, but you can easily adapt the information to other sub-Saharan African countries where cowpeas are grown. The…
Raising guinea fowl
Stories about raising guinea fowl Guinea fowl story #1: Appiealore Alagiwugah lives in Banyono, in the Upper East Region of Ghana, and has been raising guinea fowl since 2008. He says that there are two big challenges to raising guinea fowl. The first is raising the keets (as the young birds are known) so that…
Aquaculture: The value chain
I. Introduction and how to use this issue pack This issue pack is designed to provide radio broadcasters with the information they need to create effective and entertaining radio programs on the value chain for fish farming, or aquaculture. Activities in the aquaculture value chain include raising, processing and marketing farmed fish. The…