The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), in collaboration with BICEPS and Farmerline, has successfully conducted validation workshops with farmers across Northern Ghana to refine a set of audio messages developed to promote improved agricultural practices.
As part of efforts to strengthen farmer communication and knowledge sharing, twelve technical audio messages were produced and translated into five local languages—Dagbanli, Likpakpa, Bulli, Sissali, and Dagaare. The translations were recorded by Farmerline to ensure accessibility for farmers across diverse linguistic backgrounds.
To guarantee clarity, cultural appropriateness, and accuracy, CSIR-SARI and Farmerline organized validation workshops in selected communities in the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West Regions. During these sessions, farmers listened to the audio recordings and provided feedback on language use, message length, audibility, and technical accuracy.
The workshops revealed that farmers generally understood the content and found the messages highly relevant to their farming practices. However, participants also made useful recommendations, including correcting certain translations, improving sound quality in some audios, and shortening the duration of the messages to maintain attention.
Beyond refining the messages, farmers expressed enthusiasm for receiving agricultural information in their local languages and suggested additional topics such as weather updates, pest and disease management, market information, and fertilizer use.
At the end of the sessions, seed packs of sorghum and millet were distributed to participants, encouraging them to multiply and share among themselves—a practice inspired by the Latvian seed-sharing experience.
Speaking after the validation exercises, the CSIR-SARI team noted that the participatory process not only improved the quality of the messages but also strengthened farmer ownership and willingness to adopt research-based practices. The final, revised audio messages will soon be disseminated to farming communities across the northern sector.
This initiative underscores CSIR-SARI’s commitment to ensuring that agricultural innovations reach farmers in the most effective and practical ways—bridging the gap between research and the realities of farming communities.