A weekly radio program is now being aired through community radio stations in the four Zambian provinces of Lusaka, Eastern, Central and Northern Provinces.

The radio programs feature innovations that help farmers adapt to climate change, profiles of Zambian agribusiness as well as timely and localised agro-advisories for communities in the four provinces.

It is expected to reach 2.5 million listeners. It is aired in the local languages of Nyanja and Bemba. 

The start of the radio program was celebrated by members of the Kasenengwa community in Eastern Zambia in March 2023, including those involved in the Chikuwe Cooperative Farmer Support Center. Events were hosted by Chief Chikuwe of Kasenengwa and saw federation board members and some 50 local federation members participate.

Also in attendance were representatives from:

• The Provincial Agriculture Coordinating Office (PACO)
• Provincial Agriculture and Environment Subcommittee (PAES)
• Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
• Lucy Grand Foundation, Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO)
• Local media
• National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS)
• Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA)
• International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

“Our goal in the Chitetezo Farmers Federation is to end poverty. AICCRA helped us to be a partner and implement at large what we do as farmers, growing legumes as a business in adaptation to climate change. Women, youth, differently-abled people come on board and learn, using the different technologies that we are promoting,”

Esther Zulu, Chairperson of the Chitetezo Farmers Federation

Radio is among the most effective channels to make climate innovations accessible to more smallholder farmers in Zambia and to help farmers make decisions on how they adapt the way they farm. In his address, Chief Chanje emphasised the vital role that radio can play in his community: 

“Radio programs will help farmers to access important farming information. Farmers are following conservation related programs that COMACO and the federation are promoting. Our traditional leaders should support such efforts across their constituencies.” 

Chief Chanje

Chitetedzo Farmer Federation

The Chitetedzo Farmer Federation is an umbrella network of 62 multi-purpose farmer cooperatives in Eastern Zambia, representing the interests of 230,000 farmers.

Chitetezo Farmers Federation is supported by COMACO, a social enterprise that supports wildlife and nature conservation and small-scale farmers in Eastern Zambia. They organize trainings and education and provide market avenues for the cooperatives that practice climate-smart agriculture.