Week 1: Introduction and icebreaker

Archived English Discussions Agriculture and Climate Change
#1

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the Barza agriculture and climate change. My name is Busi Ngcebetsha, I am your moderator for this discussion. I have a community radio background and I have been working with different radio stations and organisations, training them in producing radio programmes that speak to their target audiences. I believe radio is a great access to information tool as it reaches more people at any given time.

This discussion is about agriculture and climate change. We will assist you in gaining more knowledge about agriculture and climate, demonstrate the important role radio can play in improving knowledge about how the changing climate affects agriculture, and encourage you to think about how weather forecasts can be important components of your farm broadcasts and how this all links to gender.

We will have specific topics that we will be concentrating on in each week.

In week 1, you will need to introduce yourself and take part in the icebreaker activity which I will introduce shortly.
In week 2 we will deal with how you report on the effects of climate change on farming in your broadcasts.
In week 3, we will look at the links between agricultural production and weather
In week 4, we will deal with gendered aspects of agriculture and climate change.

Here’s an icebreaker activity that you have to do this week:

Close your eyes. Imagine you’ve been living in a village that’s been hit by drought for the past six months. You and your family have the essentials to get by and you’ve managed to grow enough groundnuts to sustain yourself for the past year. But,suddenly, the weather’s turned and rain has started falling – ABUNDANTLY. Flash flooding is threatening to sweep everything away and in fact that you only have fifteen minutes to evacuate your area. You have to act quickly and you can only take three essential things with you.

What would you take with you and why?

Your task:

Click on the “reply” button; introduce yourself, where you are from and list your three items and why you’ve decided to take these items. Think creatively about how you present these items to us. You can just type them out or – if you’re so artistically inclined – doodle them and upload your drawings to the platform, or find photos or gifs that illustrate your items and upload them.

Check out your fellow participants’ responses and comment on what you think about the items they’ve
listed.

Cheers

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Welcome to the forum
Agriculture and climate
#2

Hie Busi,
This is Sakina Majawa Kaima producer and presenter for Chancellor College Community Radio in Malawi. This is the Radio which was set up for the Lake Chilwa Basin which is one of the area facing devastating effects of climate change in the country.It was founded through Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Southern Eastern Africa. LEAD Sea which is a centre within the University of Malawi dedicated exclusively to capacity building for sustainable development and climate change management. It operates under Chancellor College. Hence the main object was to sensitise communities on impacts of climate change and adaptation measures.

As to the Ice breaker, i think the frst thing i can take with myself is food, secondly utensils and finaly a hoe.

#3

My name is Pascal Mweruka, I have worked with radio station as a reporter, a news editor, a program producer and presenter as well as a programs manager. My passion is in development and social issues. Currently am working for Farm Radio International Uganda office as the Radio and Training Office. Under this office I over see Quality of both impact radio programs as well as in station training. Am able and ready to share new ideas regarding climate and agriculture. Happy to be part of this.

#4

Hello Sakkie,

Welcome! We are delighted to have you on board and I believe we will hear more about your farmer programs more especially on climate change.

You say you would take food, utensils and a hoe, can you be more elaborate? Why would you take those three items. When you say utensils, what exactly are you referring to?

Cheers

#5

Hello Pascal

Welcome! We are happy to have you hear and we are looking forward to your contributions.

Cheers

#6

Hello Busi

I am Nyang’ori Ohenjo and work at Baliti FM, a community radio station in Isiolo Kenya. I do hope to get some ideas on how to develop these programmes for the communities here as climate change is a real issue especially for pastoralists.

Three things I would carry with me are the ground nuts, a few clothes and a portable radio

#7

Hello Nyang’ori

We welcome you to this platform. You are in the right place, you will gain more knowledge on how best you can develop programs dealing with agriculture and climate change.

Why would you choose ground nuts, clothes and a portable radio?

Busi

#8

Thats what I have in terms of food and probably seed, should it be required once the floods are done, you need clothing for changing and lastly a radio for updates on the situation

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#9

Hie Busi Iam happy to be part of this discussion, yes i said i would take with me maize flour, which is staple food here. because i will need food wherever am going,i will take a pot for cooking and a hoe perhaps i will find a land somewhere and continue farming.

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#10

Hi Busi,
This is Esther Mwangabula from Arusha Tanzania. I worked as a producer,reporter,editor and mentor. I currently work at Farm Radio International at Tanzania Office. I’m happy to have you,learn and share from you (participants).
Cheers!

#11

First,I will grab my children,flour for at least porridge before we get help,mobile which has radio and touch (nokia one) for getting updates about floods and touch for lighting when there it comes dark. Water for drinking and making porridge.

1 Like
#12

Hello Esther

Great to meet you here. I am sure we will all learn from each other through sharing of experiences and information.

Cheers

#13

My name is Christian Chibuzo Maduka. I am a broadcast-Journalist from Nigeria with expansive experience as media content creator, trainer and manager. In an emergency the first three things I will salvage as a farmer are 1. Seeds of varied plants I can carry, 2. Farming implement - Hoe, 3. My transistor radio set or gsm telephone handie if I have one. With seeds, I can start life as a farmer again even in the camp or another location. With the farm implement I can start as a farmer again without problems. With my radio or gsm telephone, I can get information and update on happenings to determine my next moves or actions.

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#14

Hello Everyone,
I am Martin Mwape of Breeze FM (www.breezefmchipata.com) in Zambia. I work as a technician as well as radio producer and presenter. I focus my radio programme production on Agriculture and rural development.

As for the ice breaker, I would pick food, a tool with radio (can be a phone or radio itself) and crop seed. I would pick food because i would need it remain alive. I would pick an information toll because I will need information for my adaptation to the situation. I will pick seed to help me start a new life.

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#15

My Name is Jacueline Massawe, working as a communication officer at MVIWATA (Network of small scale farmers’ in Tanzania) organization located in Morogoro- Tanzania. I am doing different activities includes producing radio programs for small scale farmers to keep them update in different issues concerning their industry (Agriculture).

Come to the point- Three things which I will take: (1) My family members, these are the ones who will help me on farming issues because most of African families (small scale farmers families) depend on family labor on farming. (2) grand nuts, apart from eating the remains/part of them we will use as a seed after the flood ended (3) Radio which will help me to receive different information includes weather situation which will help me to determine what next.

That’s all.

1 Like
#16

Hello Christian

We are happy to have you on board. I believe you will also share more on your experience as a content producer on reporting on climate change issues as we go along. Thanks for sharing your three items, let’s see what other participants think about your choices.

Cheers

#17

Hello Martin

Good to meet you here. We are looking forward to shared information and experience on agriculture. Thanks for sharing your 3 choices. I will give other participants a chance to comment on your choices.

Cheers

#18

Hello Jacqueline

Welcome. We are delighted to have you in this discussion and we believe we will tap in your knowledge and experiences as we discuss. Thanks for sharing your three choices.

Enjoy

1 Like
#19

Hey Busi, this is Monica from Malawi.

I would take drinking water, any food which is in the house and Blankets

#20

Hello Monica

Welcome on board! We are happy to have you taking part in this discussion. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself, what you do? We would also like to know why you would choose drinking water, food and blankets.

Cheers