ComDevAsia Radio Initiatives

Bangladesh 2022

Program 1: Problems and Solutions in cultivation of vegetables in winter. In this program, women farmers discuss about the problems they face in vegetable farming during the winter season while an agriculture officer offers solutions to their problems including the main problem of water drying up in winter.

Program 2: Problems and Solutions in fish farming. In this program, a farmer shares that the fish in his pond has recently died due to disease and he claims to have had to use expensive medicines for the treatment. The District Fisheries Officer then talks discusses various diseases affecting fish and how it can be prevented.

Program 3: Cultivation of vegetables in home garden. The program starts with a conversation between two people about the problems they experience in household farming and animal husbandry. This is followed by the Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer providing information about the types of vegetables and fruits that are suitable for a home garden and the training provided by the government in animal husbandry.

Program 4: Problems and Solutions in Livestock Husbandry. The program begins with the problem of a fictional farmer whose cattle have died due to a disease. The program emphasizes the need to pay attention to the water and grass given to the cows and in case there are any problems, they should immediately contact a veterinary doctor.

Program 5: Problems and solutions of growing vegetables in a home garden. The program highlights the problems faced by women in planting vegetables in their vegetable gardens with various insects eating the roots of the plants and destroying them. The Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer suggests that farmers should find out which soil is suitable for which vegetables and to contact the district agriculture office in case of any problems. He advised the farmers to pay special attention when using insecticides

India 2022

Program 1: Financial problems faced by farmers. The program talks about about how financial instability among farmers lead them to get loan on high interest from money lenders. An expert included in the program informs about KCC - Kisan Credit Card scheme introduced in 1998 to farmers and PMFBY -Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna, a crop insurance scheme for crop loss or damage arising due to unforeseen events.

Program 2: Youth and Agriculture. This episode focuses on agriculture and the new generation. It highlights the need to attract youth in agriculture and how adopting scientific techniques can make farming easier and productive. The program also offers that such kind of farming can give enough financial support for survival.

Program 3: Organic Farming. The episode is focused on a farmer’s sharing about Jaivik Kheti or Organic Farming. The farmer mentions that organic farming is budget friendly and can be sold to the consumer directly.

Program 4: Online portal launch. The program offers information about an online portal (Mera Fasal Mera Byora) launched by Haryana Government to provide the farmers of the state with multiple services on a single platform such as information about insurance coverage, subsidies for agriculture development and many other schemes offered by the Haryana government

Program 5: Issues related to the use of fertilizers and pesticides. In this episode, a farmer shares the quantitative data of his farms and required fertilizers and pesticides (F&P). He explains how F&P works on crops and how uneducated farmers are trapped into purchasing cheap, poisonous, duplicate, or expired fertilizer at high rates. An expert shares that farmers should purchase fertilizer and pesticide from the seller who provide

Indonesia 2022

Nepal 2022

Program 1: Plan and policy of the local government. This episode discusses the agriculture policy implemented by Dhunibeshi Municipality and Thakre Municipality in Dhading district and the subsidies and facilities made available by the municipalities. Dhading district is one of the largest vegetable-producing districts in Nepal that supplies fresh vegetables to major cities in Nepal. Most of the people around this area are farmers.

Program 2: Youth in Agriculture. This episode discusses youth engagement in Agriculture and includes a success story of a young farmer. The episode in focused on answering questions like: How are young farmers’ issues being addressed by policymakers and government bodies? How are youth achieving success despite facing challenges?

Program 3: Agriculture Insurance. The episode discusses how natural calamities affect agriculture and husbandry and how agriculture insurance can help out the farmers. The program discusses about various government policies available for insuring agriculture products.

Program 4: Subsidy and Agriculture loan. This episode discusses subsidies and agriculture loans available. The Government of Nepal offers subsidies for agriculture loans. Many farmers apply for loans for the commercialization of their farms, however, a large number are not getting that opportunity.

Program 5: Women’s Empowerment. This episode talks about women’s empowerment. Women’s empowerment is an important issue across the world. Federal and local governments, social organizations, cooperatives and many civil society organizations are now involved in women’s empowerment in rural communities. This episode discusses women’s empowerment issues at small farmers’ level.

Philippines 2022

Program 1: Life of a farmer. The program depicts the life of a farmer from a small village where people’s main source of livelihood is through farming. It shows how difficult it is to make ends meet and how the farmers have been affected by the modernization of agriculture introduced by the government.

Program 2: Government’s role in agriculture. The program calls on the government to implement a comprehensive and substantive plan in agriculture for food security, and not to concentrate on land use conversion and import of agricultural products.

Program 3: Communal Farming. The program talks about LMB’s project, Communal Farming which according to the organization has helped to augment against hunger. It talks about how communal farming is indeed a viable source of livelihood if only the government can seriously involve the agricultural workforce in rural industrialization.

Program 4: Reaper Harvest Tax. The program shares information about the Municipal ordinance No. 5 Series of 2014 that came into effect, thereby protecting the family farmworkers by giving them the priority to harvest the rice crops during dry season, and limiting the operations of reaper harvesters in the villages.