IRRI News - Posted on Sep 19, 2024

Smallholder farmers from the Butaleja district of Eastern Uganda have long faced barriers to accessing and adopting high-quality seeds of improved varieties. Entrenched social norms, limited knowledge, and poor agricultural management practices have hindered the uptake of these high-quality seeds that could boost productivity, resilience, and livelihoods. However, a concerted effort by Work Package 6 of the Seed Equal CGIAR Initiatives is now catalyzing a paradigm shift, leveraging the power of tailored social and behavior change communication (SBCC) campaigns to reshape attitudes and practices around access to and use of quality seed. The integrated communication campaigns are part of a broader strategy to enhance sustainable change within the seed system.

Empowering Farmers Through Multimedia Engagement

Within this SBCC intervention lies a comprehensive suite of multimedia resources produced by the “Certified Seed ENOSURE” campaign designed to inform, inspire, empower, and improve access to quality seed in the target farming communities.

A series of carefully crafted radio spot scripts and radio drama episodes were developed and broadcast through the popular BIG FM 97.6 station, directly providing information to over 850,000 farmers across five districts, including over 150,000 in Butaleja alone, delving into the benefits of improved seed varieties from higher yields and disease resistance to enhanced nutritional content while providing practical guidance on good agronomic practices.

In addition to the crafted radio spots and drama episodes, the WP 6 team, in partnership with BIG FM 97.6, hosts an agricultural talk program every Friday from 6-7 PM, educating farmers on the different aspects of access to quality seed and associated agronomic practices. To further amplify the reach and impact of this agriculture talk program, the project collaborates with two community radio stations in Nawayo and Masimasa sub-counties to tune into BIG FM and relay information to a broader audience. These strategic partnerships ensure that even the most remote communities and those without access to a personal radio can access this vital knowledge. Additionally, the radio spot scripts and drama episodes are broadcasted three times daily (9 AM, 1 PM, and 6 PM) on the community radio systems to educate and engage the target audience continuously.

Recognizing the power of visual cues, the project has also produced two short videos on seed multiplication and production of quality declared seed (QDS) and 1,000 posters and flyers featuring the trusted “Certified Seed ENOSURE” campaign. The visually striking posters and flyers are crafted to resonate with smallholders, particularly women and youth, who may have historically faced barriers to information, to empower them to try new farming techniques. The materials discuss the importance of using certified seeds over recycled old seeds, contributing to increased productivity and income.

See https://www.irri.org/news-and-events/news/inclusive-communication-campaigns-drive-adoption-improved-seeds-uganda