FVR RADIO FARMER SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHER FARMERS ACROSS KENYA

Mr. Kanyingi explains a point about
 bee keeping at his farm in Machakos

Sospeter Kanyingi, an FVR Radio Farmer from Machakos, Kenya, has been keeping bees for the past five years. He received training from the National Bee Keeping Institute in Nairobi, where he received expert information about bees that helped him to improve the way he operates his enterprise. In October 2010, Mr. Kanyingi was interviewed by FVR and the recording was broadcast on the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s (KBC) Kiswahili service. He talked about the benefits of bee keeping and various bee products.

From the time the program went on air, Mr. Kanyingi started receiving calls from farmers across the country. He estimates that he received over 60 calls within three months of the first broadcast, with some listeners making repeat calls to get further information. Two farmer groups in Western and Northern Kenya invited him to teach them about bee keeping, even offering to meet the costs for his travel.

“The radio is a teacher that reaches very far without being seen,” says Mr. Kanyingi. He recognizes the importance of radio as a source of agricultural information, as farmers hear and learn from fellow farmers.  He reports that the farmers who have called have tried the recommended practices, as they first tell him what they know before requesting further information.

As an FVR Radio Farmer, Mr Kanyingi feels that his knowledge is valued by other farmers. His experience with FVR has encouraged him to undertake more research on bees so that he can be more resourceful. “From their questions, the farmers have made me aware that I have knowledge that is useful for them; something I previously took for granted”, he says.