Today we are sharing something really special.  We decided to create a video for our 30th Anniversary this year.  Who better to explain Farm Radio International’s origin than the founder:  George Atkins?  In this video Dr. Atkins tells us the story of how he founded Farm Radio International (formerly Developing Countries Farm Radio Network) in May 1979.  So many people around the world now receive appropriate, timely and relevant information through Farm Radio International’s network, all because of a little idea that came from George.

30 years and counting…  Thanks George!

Credits: Video shot and edited by Nelly Bassily (Farm Radio International)

David and Miriam Barrie at the Farm Radio International tent at the Outdoor Farm Show

I had the pleasure of setting up tent at the 2009 Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock Ontario in September.  The Outdoor Farm Show was started by former Farm Radio International board member, the late Ginty Jocius. His wife Lorie, who runs the event now, helped us secure a spot at the Show.  Over 40,000 attended this 3-day event.

What better way is there to help celebrate 30 years then by meeting many rural farmers? Canadian Farmers were some of Farm Radio International’s first supporters in the very early days, after listening to founder and farmer, George Atkins, talk about helping the poorest of the poor farmers around the world through radio.

We had a tent right between the Food Grains Bank and the local Rotary Club.  The days were sunny and beautiful.  Board member, David Barrie (a retired farmer himself) and wife Miriam chatted with visitors about our work, about their visit to one of our partner stations in Malawi and invited people in for refreshments.  George’s grandkids, Mark Elliott and Sarah Andrewes also lent a hand on the last day.  All in all, it was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Farm Radio International friends and to many meet new ones.

Please read this great article from one visitor and journalist, Tom VanDusen, in The Ontario Farmer by clicking here.

George Atkins performs an interview in the field

Let’s take a trip way back to 1979 when Farm Radio International (then called Developing Countries Farm Radio Network) began. Based on the idea that smallholder farmers throughout Africa could benefit greatly by receiving timely and accurate information about farming over the radio, George Atkins (founder and former director of DCFRN) set out to provide an invaluable service to broadcasters across the continent and beyond.

Farm Radio International now provides farming information and training resources for rural radio broadcasters on hard copy scripts, online through Farm Radio Weekly and through online learning courses and competitions. But it wasn’t always this way…

When the organization first began George Atkins himself would sit down in a studio and read radio scripts (many of them written by himself) aloud and record the “broadcast” on a cassette tape. For years DCFRN would archive this information and often send it out across the world as a reference material for rural radio broadcasters. While this is no longer common practice at Farm Radio International, it is great to look back at the history of how our small organization began and get a taste of the extraordinary vision that George had, even in those early days.

For our 30^th Anniversary we decided to dig into the archives and digitize some of these old recordings. Please take a listen to a clip from the very first script package recorded by George Atkins in 1979 that was supported then by CIDA, Massey Ferguson and Guelph University.

http://www.farmradio.org/audio/tape1sideAclip.mp3

]]> http://blog.farmradio.org/2009/08/a-trip-back-to-1979-farm-radio-audio-tape-1/feed/ 2 http://blog.farmradio.org/2009/07/spring-2009-network-news/ http://blog.farmradio.org/2009/07/spring-2009-network-news/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:26:01 +0000 Farm Radio International http://blog.farmradio.org/?p=161 Tweet

Spring 2009 Network News

Our newest edition of “Network News” is now available for download and printing on our website.  It is published three times a year and highlights the latest accomplishments of Farm Radio International.  This issue touches on:

• Our 30th Anniversary
• Our work with Trans World Radio in Kenya
• Gender Equality and Radio workshop that we ran in Ghana
• A few kind words from our supporters on our 30th anniversary

Please check out this newsletter from the Adobe PDF file by clicking here.