FM radio stations are not employing professional journalists because they are expensive

Mr.  Mwesigye Ambrose

Manager Life FM 

Kabarole District

One of the biggest challenges faced in trying to ensure better broadcasting for entrepreneurship development is employing  people who are not fully qualified because professionals are so expensive.

However, we have tried to do on job training although not sufficient enough because of the limited resources.

Life FM Radio Manager

The civil society can help in more capacity building for rural FM radio journalists to ensure better entrepreneurship development.

To ensure continuous better rural FM broadcasting for Entrepreneurship Development, there is need for a forum for Rwenzori region FM radio staff for better information and knowledge sharing and access although it needs more monitoring due to competition among radio stations for audiences.

“I use my phone to communicate with other people especially on market access.” Ms. Night Juliet

Ms. Night Juliet
Poultry Farmer
Kasese District

I rare Chicken and I help other poultry farmers and potential poultry farmers by providing them with information on better poultry rearing, market access, etc through trainings.

Many people around have learnt from me how to handle poultry when they are affected by a diseases, breeding, market access which has encouraged many people especially women embrace poultry business.

Although the radio is important, most of the times I use my phone to communicate with other people especially on market access. There are also important programs on local FM radio stations which have helped people learn a lot about the poultry business.

In the poultry keeping business, the market for poultry products is still limited which is a very big challenge to the poultry farmers in Kasese District.

Also see a video of Rural Broadcasting for Youth Entrepreneurship Development Conducted by ToroDev in partnership with Stem Van Afrika

“NGO’s like ToroDev should help to teach and train our radio staff especially those who deal with entrepreneurship programs…” Nyakahuma Patrick.

Mr. Nyakahuma Patrick.

Manager Better FM

Kabarole District

We face many challenges in Rural Broadcasting for Entrepreneurship Development ranging from the limited staff training and facilitation for entrepreneurship broadcasting.

When selecting our workers the experiences is want we consider first and then the qualification, the managing director and program director are highly qualified in journalism and presenters are just entertainers with limited skills in journalism.

Nyakahuma Patrick

The Research department is too demanding and facilitation is lacking. Our staffs are not fully facilitated to the level that they wish because the source of income is still lacking.

We have an arrangement for all those who wish to do on-job training. NGO’s like ToroDev should help to teach and train our radio staff especially those who deal with entrepreneurship programs on FM radio stations.

Building a forum for Rwenzori FM Radio staff is a very welcome idea because it will help in information and knowledge sharing but it should be organized or initiated by a neutral person or organization not by one of the radio stations to reduce any bias that may arise as a result of competition.

Despite all the problems faced, we put in efforts to do research on issues that affect the community and broadcast them. We can also arrange radio programs for community benefits at no cost, small scale entrepreneurs can also be catered for by this arrangement.

“In our news bulletin we have specific time for business news…” Thembo Fred

Thembo Fred

Station Manager

Kasese Guide Radio

Kasese District

There has been a lot of improvement on our packaging and we have set categories for our charges and we consider our clients according to the business they are involved in.

We have established a program basically targeting all the business people and we have a business show every Saturday that is focusing on the business people. The program is called Edakacu ebusibuzi.

Tembo Fred

We invite local farmers to join the staff especially we invite the learned people to come on air and teach other who are not learned. The educated are from universities and institutions with degrees in agriculture and business. These people sit and discuss with the other farmers who are not learned to share ideas and knowledge.

In our news bulletin we have specific time for business news where we inform business people and farmers of different prices for different products and other needful information related to business.

We also let other entrepreneurs and farmers to call in and share their ideas; they ask different questions concerning the topic of the day.

We always go to the field with our recorders and record the farmers and other entrepreneurs /business people and get their voices to help others hear from the experienced individuals.

We meet so many challenges while reaching out to the rural small scale entrepreneurs because some of them expect us to solve their problems hence misinterpreting the role of the media.

“One farmer was given free air time on the radio station” Basemere Yvonne

Miss Basemere Yvonne
Kyenjojo FM Staff
Kyenjojo District



After the training a lot of changes have been seen, when I attended the training of ToroDev I was able to meet some farmers who were introduced to our program manager.

One farmer was given free air time on the radio station, he has been on air for more than three times free of charge to share knowledge and information especially on fruit farming.

Kyenjo FM has also started going deep in the hard to reach villages to get farmers voices, record them and air them live on the radio station for better information sharing.

One of the challenges still facing rural FM radio journalists for better rural broadcasting for entrepreneurship development is the uncooperative rural entrepreneurs especially farmers who still fear to approach radio staff for information sharing.

For better broadcasting for entrepreneurship development, the civil society needs to help more in the areas of trainings to both rural radio staff and rural entrepreneurs on issues of broadcasting for entrepreneurship development.

The civil society also needs to sponsor some educative programs for the farmers on different radio stations and finally, radio staff need more facilitation to conduct research and cover stories in the hard to reach areas.

"I have been invited on Kyenjojo FM to speak on air at no cost..." Ahebwa Willam

Mr. Ahebwa Willam
Fruits farmer
Kakabara Sub County, Kyegegwa District



I attended all the workshops of ToroDev on Rural FM Radio Broadcasting for Entrepreneurship Development and I am a leader of the Kyegegwa District Radio Listenership Club, I have gained a lot from all the trainings I attended because my fruit market has expanded.

I have been invited on Kyenjojo FM to speak on air at no cost I really appreciate Toro Development workshop for the training.

Before the training with Toro Dev, I didn’t know the importance of the radio as a farmer but after the training, I got to understand that radio stations are the best ways of marketing my fruits and other produce because they are widely listened to.

I have been on Kyenjojo FM teaching other farmers, I have got different clients who ask for my seeds and come to buy them from my home and my agri-business is now expanding to a bigger level.




Ahebwa William (Lef) sharing with ToroDev M&E Officer Amanya Sheila

 
ToroDev has also connected me with different radio staff and I have got so many friends on the radio who help me to advertise my fruits weekly and monthly without any pay.

People have come from all over the region (Rwenzori Region) to buy my products hence increasing my market and income.

However, I still a have a challenge of expensive pesticides for my fruits.
I appeal to the Civil Society organizations to conduct more training and also establish a forum for fruit Farmers for improved knowledge sharing