By HOPE BWALYA –
ABOUT K500,000 is required for the establishment of a Farmer’s Network Radio Station, which will be a platform for farmers to air their views on issues affecting their welfare and the country’s agriculture sector.
The project is a brain-child of a partnership between the Small Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) and management of the yet-to-be constructed radio station.
SAFADA director Boyd Moobwe said in an interview that the radio station was earmarked to be set up in Shibuyunji District of Lusaka Province with intent to cover other areas such as Lusaka and Southern Province.
“The budget required for the radio station is about K500,000 and we are appealing to the Government to come on board as this project will not just benefit the people of Shibuyunji but also other areas such as Lusaka District and parts of Southern Province,” he said.
Mr Moobwe said the existence of a radio station in the area would resolve some of the communication challenges that the farmers were facing.
He said agricultural transformation and rural development could only take place when there was a proper mode of sharing information.
Meanwhile, Farmer’s Network Radio Station director Golden Sibanda said the station would broadcast in local languages to ease understanding of the information being disseminated.
Mr Sibanda appealed to the Government to come on board both financially and in the acquisition of the broadcasting licence.
“We are appealing to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services as well as the Independent Broadcasting Authority to come in and help shorten the period of accessing the licence,” he said.