IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute) has published a discussion paper on 'The Role of Interactive Radio Programming in Advancing Women’s Empowerment and Crop and Dietary Diversity. Mixed Methods Evidence from Malawi.' The paper focuses on the evaluation of the interactive radio programming in Malawi. Radio programming has evolved over time – and the authors see more interactions between farmers and experts, greater opportunity for farmers to ask questions via call centers and mobile applications, and linkage to listening clubs. More than 60 percent of households and 52 percent of women in Malawi report listening to the radio at least once a week.

The study highlights four major findings. First, radio programming is the preferred source of agricultural and nutrition advice among many subpopulations: younger women and men use radio more than other sources for their agricultural information needs, while younger and older men use radio more than other sources for nutrition education. Second, results show a positive impact of radio programming on technology awareness but a limited impact on the adoption of most agricultural practices being promoted, with the exception of crop residue incorporation. Third, the study finds positive impacts on dietary diversity and the adoption of some nutrition practices among the rural population. Finally, the research shows a strong association between access to interactive radio programming and women’s and men’s empowerment scores. The association is greater for women’s empowerment and younger men’s empowerment, the latter being the most disempowered group in the sample.

The Government of Flanders provided a 1.045.000 Euro grant to Farm Radio Trust in the period between July 2015 and December 2019 for the project 'Scaling up Radio and ICTs in Enhancing Extension Delivery (SRIEED)'. IFPRI received a 45.000 Euro grant for extension studies in Malawi. This discussion paper is one of the outputs thereof.

The discussion paper can be accessed via the following link:
http://massp.ifpri.info/2020/04/21/discussion-paper-1920-the-role-of-interactive-radio-programming-in-advancing-womens-empowerment-and-crop-and-dietary-diversity/