Farm Radio International

Farm Radio International / Radios Rurales Internationales

Farm Radio International logo
Geographical target area
Abbreviation	FRI
Formation	May 1, 1979 by George Atkins
Type	NGO
Purpose	Rural development
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Location	Canada
Region served	Sub-Saharan Africa
Official language	English & French
President	Doug Ward
Staff	17 (according to annual report 2007/2008)
Website	http://www.farmradio.org/

Farm Radio International, or Radios Rurales Internationales (official French name), is a Canadian non-profit organization based in Ottawa, Ontario. The organization works with radio broadcasters to improve food security and agricultural methods for smallholder farmers in African countries.

The organization was founded in 1979 by George Atkins, journalist at CBC Radio, under the name Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN). During a trip to Zambia in 1975, Mr. Atkins found that there was a lack of information about simple farming techniques for African smallholder farmers. Four years later a first script package was sent out to broadcasters and DCFRN was created.

In 2008 the organization changed its name to Farm Radio International.

Farm Radio International, led in its daily work by executive director Kevin Perkins, is based in Ottawa, Ontario, but does also have staff in several African countries. Through its partner organization WUSC, Farm Radio International received a 4 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2007 "to enhance the impact of radio broadcasting on food security in Africa". The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is an important donor for Farm Radio International's other work. Farm Radio International has also developed Barza, a social network for African broadcasters.