Abbreviation FRI Purpose Rural development Location Canada | Type NGO Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
Formation May 1, 1979 by George Atkins | ||
Farm Radio International, or Radios Rurales Internationales (official French name), is a Canadian non-profit organization based in Ottawa, Ontario. The organization works with radio broadcasters to improve food security and agricultural methods for smallholder farmers in African countries.
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History
The organization was founded in 1979 by George Atkins, journalist at CBC Radio, under the name Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN). During a trip to Zambia in 1975, Mr. Atkins found that there was a lack of information about simple farming techniques for African smallholder farmers. Four years later a first script package was sent out to broadcasters and DCFRN was created.
In 2008 the organization changed its name to Farm Radio International.
Work
Farm Radio International, led in its daily work by executive director Kevin Perkins, is based in Ottawa, Ontario, but does also have staff in several African countries. Through its partner organization WUSC, Farm Radio International received a 4 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2007 "to enhance the impact of radio broadcasting on food security in Africa". The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is an important donor for Farm Radio International's other work. Farm Radio International has also developed Barza, a social network for African broadcasters.