The United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF 2019-28) recognizes the role of communication as a driver to advance sustainable food systems and the need to increase awareness about the central role that family farmers play for the future of our planet. In particular, rural radio is still the most widely used medium for sharing information with rural audiences.

Within this framework, the Rural Radio Initiative 2023 was implemented in Asia using a participatory approach involving farmers’ associations, community media and development institutions. Farmers’ organizations in the region have actively participated in the design of radio programmes, defining topics, broadcast schedules, and interviewees, as well as contributing to overall radio programming.

The initiative—along with its Africa and Latin America counterparts—has generated people-centred radio programs addressing family farmers’ needs and priorities and have been broadcasted through dozens of radio stations in rural areas, reaching millions of farmers globally.