African Farmers, MP3 Players and More Milk from Each Cow

What do subsistence farmers in Africa chat about around the water cooler? I mean, around the well? In an area called Mbire in Zimbabwe, it's not what you might think. The farmers in this region so isolated it lacks both electricity and any phone connectivity, are likely comparing notes on their favorite podcasts.

Researcher Lawrence Gudza with the NGO Practical Action reports to SciDevNet that a pilot project run by his organization is branching out into new territory when it comes to helping small farmers improve their agricultural techniques, and thereby, their lives. While radio and word-of-mouth used to be considered modern enough to pass information along to rural areas, Practical Action sees the potential for so much more in simple forms of digital media.

Practical Action collaborated with government agencies and representatives of local communities, among other people, to craft and record 32 podcasts in the local languages. Each show is packed with useful information and the latest thinking about crop management, livestock disease control, harvest techniques, proper storage and marketing advice. The shows were loaded on simple MP3 players and distributed to mobile "knowledge libraries" around the area.

The players, whose rechargeable batteries a local NGO will replace every two weeks, can each play 40 hours on one battery cycle, enough for 2,800 to listen, even without electricity.

The project was a boon to Mbire communities. In one example, milk production jumped from 0.5 litres to two litres per cow per day. Other benefits? Better livestock management and increasing crop variety and productivity.

Photo courtesy of whiteafrican via flickr