Tuning in to agriculture

from here & there

The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (UAS Dharwad) has made significant strides in disseminating agriculture-related information to farmers and farming enthusiasts.

One such effort is the launch of Krishi Community Radio in 2007. The radio channel has a reach of about 70 villages in an area of 25 km radius in and around Dharwad. The listenership is as high as 70%.

The radio station broadcasts programmes covering a wide spectrum of topics in farming and related fields. The programmes are broadcast for six hours a day in two shifts. The morning shift is from 6 to 9 and the evening slot is from 5 to 8. It is noteworthy that all the programmes are agriculture-based, and it is said that this is the only radio station in the State which is completely dedicated to agri-based programmes.

Though the subject remains the same, the diversity of the programmes produced makes the radio station popular. Programmes like interviews of farmer achievers, agricultural scientists, information about the latest developments in the farming sector, government schemes, marketing of farm produce, phone-in programmes and weather updates are broadcast daily.

“As the radio is managed by the UAS, we don’t have to look for advertisement revenue,” says programme officer Dr S Devendrappa, who is in-charge of the radio station. Along with farming, related occupations like dairy and goat rearing are also covered in the programmes.
A 30-minute to 45-minute programme on a crop is broadcast every day covering major crops of the region like jowar, maize, cotton, onion, soya beans, sunflower and ground nut. Drama and other cultural programmes with focus on farming are also produced offering a variety in the content. Interestingly, a student of the Karnataka University, Dharwad chose to study the radio station for doctoral research. The farm radio can be heard by tuning to 90.4 MHz in and around Dharwad city.