Radio Communication for the Dissemination of Improved Livestock Production Technologies in Ethiopia

Zeleke, M., Wamatu, J., Abiso, T., Haile, A. 2024. Radio Communication for the Dissemination of Improved Livestock Production Technologies in Ethiopia. AICCRA Report. Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA).

The ICARDA pilot radio project, launched in 2023, aimed to address knowledge gaps among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia by providing structured and contextually tailored content on livestock management, specifically focusing on sheep fattening. Leveraging the wide reach of mass communication via radio, the project aimed to broadcast programs promoting improved livestock production technologies in five local languages across culturally diverse regions in Central Ethiopia, thus ensuring improved comprehension and outreach to rural and marginalized populations who may not speak or understand dominant languages. A mid-term evaluation revealed that despite increased knowledge and higher mid-term household incomes - 4.7 times the baseline - the economic impact on livestock ownership was minimal due to short-term constraints and barriers to social learning. Challenges such as lack of working capital and space for rearing livestock hindered youth and women from adopting technologies; thus, knowledge-sharing declined by 8%.

After the midterm evaluation, the project introduced “listening groups” of farmers that received structured support through reminders and incentives to listen to the broadcasts and facilitated group discussions around barriers and challenges to adopting practices disseminated via the radio broadcasts. An endline survey conducted in November 2024 assessed the effectiveness of listening groups, revealing significant impacts on farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices. 91% of participating farmers who listened to the radio broadcasts reported improved feed practices, while 90.7% and 90% noted better management and income enhancement benefits, respectively. Other notable gains included entrepreneurship development (83.3%) and overall production cost reduction (82.7%). The farmers in listening groups outperformed regular farmers, achieving improvements of 7.0% in feed management knowledge, 6.0% in entrepreneurship, and 5.0% in improved management practices. Facilitating Group Formation with tailored support and continued broadcasts may foster discussions, clarify misunderstandings, and promote shared learning, enhancing the likelihood of technology adoption. Group dynamics can lead to peer influence and social validation, which may motivate individuals to adopt new practices when they observe others in the group doing so.