Notes to broadcasters
For a project in Kenya, FRI produced a backgrounder on succession planning and shared decision-making, which is available here, and a drama, available here.
The questions in this document are designed to help broadcasters conduct interviews with farmers and their families, farming experts, and others. The questions focus on how farmers can ensure that the farm passes successfully to the next generation, resulting in the smoothest possible transition and the maximum success.
Script
1. Is succession planning a common practice for farmers in this region?
2. If yes, how does a family typically decide who will take over the family farm?
a. Follow-up questions:
a.i. Are there cultural, religious, or other customs that influence or dictate who will take over the family farm?
3. If no, how do farms typically pass from one farmer to another when a farmer dies or gets older?
4. What kinds of problems can happen because of these practices?
a. Do they result in some youth leaving agriculture altogether?
b. Do they result in women’s agricultural skills being sidelined? What is lost when this happens?
c. Do they cause conflict in the family?
5. Who typically makes decisions about managing the farm? Are decisions shared among family members, including women and youth, or are all decisions made by one person or one group of older males?
a. If decisions are always made by one person or a small group, what kinds of problems does this create, if any?
b. If youth are not involved in decisions, how can families begin to involve youth in farm decisions? What kinds of farm activities can youth start making decisions about?
c. If women are not involved in decisions, how can families begin to involve women in farm decisions? What areas can women start making decisions on? Given that women are responsible for many kinds of tasks in the family and community, what supports are required so that women can be supported to engage in the farm and in decision-making?
6. How can farmers engage their children in the family farm and get them excited by teaching them about farming?
7. What new skills and perspectives can youth bring to family farms, and how can this benefit the farm and the whole family?
8. What are the benefits of shared decision-making for families and for their farms?
a. Follow-up questions:
a.i. How can shared decision-making help family farms adapt to climate change?
a.ii. How can family farms benefit when knowledge and skills are transferred from one generation to the next?
a.iii. How can youth bring new ideas and innovation to the family farm?
a.iv. How can youth use social media and/or technology to contribute to the family farm?
9. How can succession planning help to ease conflict among family members?
10. How can succession planning help family farms adapt to climate change?
11. How can shared decision-making help to ease conflict among family members?
12. What are some of the barriers that prevent youth from engaging in decision-making on family farms?
a. Follow-up questions:
a.i. Do youth have negative associations with farming?
a.ii. Do youth feel engaged and a sense of ownership or personal investment in the family farm?
a.ii.1. If not, why not? What can be done to help youth be more engaged?
a.iii. How do land inheritance practices impact youth involvement in decision-making on the family farm?
a.iv. How does lack of access to credit impact youth involvement in decision-making on the family farm?
a.v. When youth are not involved with decision-making on the family farm, how does this impact their involvement in succession planning?
a.vi. Are older farmers hesitant to pass on responsibility for the family farm to youth? Why, or why not?
a.vii. Do older farmers feel that their privileged status in the family would change if they included youth in succession planning on the family farm? Why, or why not? What can be done to help older farmers manage succession and change?
13. What are the benefits of involving women in succession planning and decision-making on family farms?
14. What are the barriers that prevent women from being engaged in decision-making on family farms?
a. Follow-up questions:
a.i. How do land inheritance practices impact women’s involvement in decision-making on the family farm?
a.ii. How does lack of access to credit impact women’s involvement in decision-making on the family farm?
a.iii. When women are not involved with decision-making on the family farm, how does this impact their involvement in succession planning?
a.iv. Are male farmers hesitant to pass on responsibility for the family farm to women? Why, or why not?
a.v. Do male farmers feel that their privileged status in the family would change if they included women in succession planning and decision-making on the family farm? Why? What can be done to help male farmers engage women?
a.vi. Do women feel a sense of engagement and personal investment in the family farm?
a.vi.1. If not, why not? How can women’s engagement be increased?
15. How can older farmers include youth in decision-making on the farm?
a. Follow-up questions:
a.i. How can older farmers introduce youth to responsibility on the family farm slowly over time?
a.ii. In what areas can youth be encouraged to lead on the family farm?
a.iii. How can older farmers help youth develop positive associations with farming?
16. How can male famers be encouraged to include women in decision-making on the farm?
a. Follow-up questions:
a.i. In what areas can women be encouraged to lead on the family farm?
a.ii. How can men and women share control over the business aspects of the family farm?
a.iii. How can men and women share control over the earnings of the family farm?
17. How can youth and women advocate for themselves to be involved in succession planning and decision-making on the family farm?
18. How can family members increase or improve their collaboration and communication with one another on the family farm?
a. What are the benefits of collaboration and communication between family members on the family farm?
Acknowledgements
Contributed by: Farm Radio International, Radio Resources team
Reviewed by: Juliet Tunje, Social Inclusion Advisor for the USAID KCDMS Activity
Farm Radio International is working with the Feed the Future Kenya Crops and Dairy Market Systems Activity (KCDMS) of USAID, implemented by RTI International, to co-create radio content resources aimed at advancing youth entrepreneurship in agribusiness. This activity is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with technical assistance from RTI International. The contents are the responsibility of Farm Radio International and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.