Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet

Farm Radio | Carleton University
  • 3.0 (3)
  • Nature
  • Updated Biweekly

How can nature itself help us tackle the challenges of a changing world? Each episode, we dive into an inspiring story of how a community in rural Africa is harnessing the power of nature-based solutions to adapt, thrive, and heal the planet. In Season Two, our new host Ivy Prosper takes us to her home country, Ghana, plus Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Zambia, where we meet a woman growing her community, one tree at a time; young people banding together to save a swamp and the birds living in it; farmers using their ancestors' knowledge to keep their farms from flooding; and even communities using nature to help recover from addiction. Stay tuned to learn about things that you can do in your own backyard. Produced by Farm Radio International, a Canadian not-for-profit that provides resources and training to help rural broadcasters in Africa; in partnership with Carleton University Journalism students who travelled to Africa to produce this series.

  1. Waves of Change: How Radio Broadcasts Are Reshaping Zambian Agriculture

    3d ago

    Waves of Change: How Radio Broadcasts Are Reshaping Zambian Agriculture

    In Zambia's Chipangali district, farmers are overcoming climate-induced agricultural challenges by forming listening groups to engage with radio broadcasts about nature-based solutions. Facilitated by local broadcasters and the Media Institute of Southern Africa, these cooperative, community-led efforts have successfully transformed agricultural practices and increased yields through shared knowledge and collective action.  This episode is hosted by Ivy Prosper, produced by Claire Hutcheon, and edited by John McGill. This episode was produced by Farm Radio International, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    16 min
  2. Banking on the herd: How ancient manure techniques outlast modern droughts in Zambia

    May 21

    Banking on the herd: How ancient manure techniques outlast modern droughts in Zambia

    Farmers in Zambia’s Kadiani Village are combating climate change and soil degradation by reverting to "kraal shifting," a traditional practice using manure to fertilize sandy soil, which improves moisture retention during droughts. By communal sharing of livestock for this process, the village increases resilience against the high costs and diminishing returns of chemical fertilizers.  This episode is hosted by Ivy Prosper, produced by Claire Hutcheon, and edited by John McGill. This episode was produced by Farm Radio International, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    15 min
  3. From insurgency to opportunity: how reforestation is building a better life in Alebelebe

    May 14

    From insurgency to opportunity: how reforestation is building a better life in Alebelebe

    Before the guns came, Alebelebe Village was alive with trees, rain, and abundance. What happened next, and how this community found its way back, is a story you won't soon forget. In this episode, we take you to Alebelebe Village in the Lira District of Uganda, where the Lord's Resistance Army insurgency forced families from their homes and shattered the rhythms of life they had always known. When residents finally returned, they found their land damaged and their livelihoods gone. Desperate to survive, many turned to cutting down trees to produce charcoal, which was a decision that deepened the crisis, stripped the land bare, and drove away the rain. Through the voices of community members like Richard Owanya and Florence Achan, we hear how training from Kijani Forestry and Farm Radio International introduced Nature-based Solutions that began to turn things around. From reforestation to beekeeping, the community discovered that restoring the environment and restoring their lives were one and the same. This episode is hosted by Ivy Prosper, produced by Doreen Ainembabazi, and edited by John McGill. This episode was produced by Farm Radio International, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    11 min
  4. Faith in the fields

    May 7

    Faith in the fields

    What if the secret to feeding your family, saving your land, and transforming your community was already growing in your backyard? In this episode, host Ivy Prosper takes us to Overland Missions Base Camp in Choma, Zambia, where pastor and base camp director Caristo Chipwaya is combining gospel teachings with organic farming to help rural families grow more with less.Through a program called Farming God's Way, Caristo and his team are showing local residents how to use what nature has already provided, from mulch to compost, to produce consistent harvests without spending on hybrid seeds or chemical fertilizer. Through deeply personal stories, we hear from farmers like Pedag Siazilundu, who went from working 12-hour days to having time to rest and watch football; Maggie Lutenta, whose faith journey transformed not only her fields but her marriage; Iness Munkomobwe, a single mother who survived Zambia's worst drought in a generation; and Rosemary Mwanda, whose husband went from forbidding her to own land to being the first to remind her not to miss a meeting. This episode is hosted by Ivy Prosper, produced by student producer Raquel Medina, and edited by John McGill. Translations were done by Margaret Kabuswe, Innes Phiri, Crispin Bwalya, and Jane Shira. This episode was produced by Farm Radio International, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    23 min

  5. Apr 30

    Part 2 -The Hidden Impact of Deforestation: Domestic Violence in Rural Uganda

    This episode is hosted by Ivy Prosper, produced by student producer Madison Eldridge, and edited by John McGill. Translation and dubbing by Gertrude Nalubinga, Hadija Mutesi, and Brenda Mugwisagye Murangi. We are deeply grateful to the women of Katagi Village who courageously shared their stories, including Annet Nassanga, Zigama Elivania, and Kyalinkunda Esiter, as well as Nagawa Marium and the broader community members who supported this production. A special thank you to Doreen Ainembabazi, whose guidance and dedication made this episode possible. This episode was produced by Farm Radio International, thanks to funding from the government of Canada. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    23 min

  6. Apr 23

    The Hidden Impact of Deforestation: Domestic Violence in Rural Uganda: Part 1

    What happens when the loss of forests reshapes not just the land, but the safety and lives of the women who depend on it? In this powerful first episode of a two-part series, host Ivy Prosper takes us to Katagi Village in Uganda, where deforestation has had devastating ripple effects. As logging companies cleared community forests, essential resources like firewood and water became scarce, forcing women to travel farther, and increasing tensions at home. For many, this led to rising instances of domestic violence. Through deeply personal stories, we hear from women like Annet Nassanga and Nyakato Iva, who share how environmental destruction changed their daily lives, and how they are now working to rebuild both their forests and their futures. This episode is hosted by Ivy Prosper, produced by student producer Madison Eldridge, and edited by John McGill. Translation and dubbing by Gertrude Nalubinga, Naomi Ayot Oyaro, and Brenda Mugwisagye.   We are deeply grateful to the women of Katagi Village who courageously shared their stories, including Annet Nassanga and Nyakato Iva, as well as the broader community members who supported this production.   This episode was produced by Farm Radio International, thanks to funding from the government of Canada. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    20 min
  7. Ponds of Promise: How One Village Is Farming Its Future

    Apr 16

    Ponds of Promise: How One Village Is Farming Its Future

    How can a village secure its food supply in an unpredictable climate? In Biasso, Côte d’Ivoire, a series of neatly lined ponds are doing just that. Built in response to food shortages, these fish farms have become a sustainable solution, providing a reliable source of nutrition and income even in the face of heavy rains and prolonged droughts. By reinvesting profits into expansion and infrastructure, including a new well with an electric pump, the community has become nearly self-sufficient while turning the site into a source of pride, and even a local attraction.   More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    17 min
  8. From bare land to bounty

    Apr 9

    From bare land to bounty

    What does it take to turn barren land into a thriving future? In Eastern Uganda, Emmanuel Odeke and his wife Teresa Tino transformed a struggling 1.5-acre plot into a flourishing fruit farm using nature-based solutions. After growing up in poverty and leaving school early, Emmanuel took a risk: selling a sheep to buy lemon seeds, and began experimenting with grafting techniques to improve fruit quality and yields. Facing infertile soil and limited resources, Emmanuel stayed committed to fruit farming, learning new techniques and adapting through challenges like drought by diversifying crops. In this episode, host Ivy Prosper takes us to Gweri, Uganda, where nature-based innovation is transforming livelihoods. Emmanuel and Teresa’s journey now inspires local farmers, as they provide training and planting materials to help others succeed. Produced by student producer Victor Viegas Alvarez and edited by John McGill. Featuring interviews with Emmanuel Odeke, Teresa Tino, and Vincent Odele, with translations by Vincent Odele and Sarah Asio. Step into a story of resilience, where one family’s determination turned hardship into opportunity and is helping a whole community grow. More about Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet at farmradio.org/natureanswers This is a Farm Radio International podcast produced thanks to funding from the Government of Canada.

    17 min
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How can nature itself help us tackle the challenges of a changing world? Each episode, we dive into an inspiring story of how a community in rural Africa is harnessing the power of nature-based solutions to adapt, thrive, and heal the planet. In Season Two, our new host Ivy Prosper takes us to her home country, Ghana, plus Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Zambia, where we meet a woman growing her community, one tree at a time; young people banding together to save a swamp and the birds living in it; farmers using their ancestors' knowledge to keep their farms from flooding; and even communities using nature to help recover from addiction. Stay tuned to learn about things that you can do in your own backyard. Produced by Farm Radio International, a Canadian not-for-profit that provides resources and training to help rural broadcasters in Africa; in partnership with Carleton University Journalism students who travelled to Africa to produce this series.

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