In September 2024, Kalomo Community Radio Station in Zambia made a groundbreaking move by offering ten free radio slots to ZASHO (Zambia Smallholder Farmers Organisation). These slots broadcast My Food is African programs focused on agroecology, marking the first media engagement of its kind in the region. For smallholder farmers in Kalomo and neighboring Zimba District, these broadcasts have become a vital source of knowledge, awareness, and action.
Kalomo District, one of Zambia’s main food-producing regions, faces growing threats from soil depletion, deforestation, and climate change. Through interactive weekly shows, farmers now learn sustainable practices such as composting, mulching, traditional seed saving, natural pest control, and crop rotation. Supported by ZASHO and ZAAB (Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity), the programs are rooted in community engagement, with training sessions and dialogues involving farmers, traditional leaders, and local authorities.
The results are already visible: farmers are applying agroecological methods, creating gardens, reducing reliance on chemical inputs, and forming groups to share seeds and knowledge. The initiative has sparked demand for even more content, with plans to expand broadcasts, add youth-focused programs, and develop complementary training guides.
Kalomo’s experience shows how community radio can be a low-cost, high-impact model for agroecology education. By blending local storytelling with practical farming knowledge, the broadcasts are empowering farmers, strengthening resilience, and advancing food sovereignty from the ground up.
