COUNTRYWISE GHANA TRICYCLE RECORDS IN 2013/14

The motor-tricycle video technology is an innovation that should be adopted by other sectors of the economy as an effective and efficient communication channel, to engage the public to disseminate information and facilitate attitudinal change on developmental issues such as hygiene, sanitation and environmental protection. Mr Phil Malone, explained that the two institution won the Mobile Communication Category and the IVCA Chairman’s Gold Awards 2013 for developing a simple but effective and efficient innovation to disseminate information, especially on agriculture through the use of motor king video van to communities without electricity. Dr Nutsugah who received the awards praised the inventiveness of the two Mr Raymond Vuol of Countrywise Communication Ghana and Dr Wilson Dogbe, a Senior Research Scientist at SARI, who teamed up to develop the technology to address major challenges of educating farmers in the hinterland to ensure that best practises are observed in the sector to boost production.

Mr Raymond Vuol explained that the team invested about $ 5,000 to buy a motor tricycle, carried out adaption and then fit it out with the equipment needed for showing agricultural videos in remote parts of northern Ghana. “Two men were trained to operate the video van and travel from village to village and collect valuable data about audience feedback. It was surprising that we have received delegations from chiefs in some communities to come and thank the institute for supporting… farmers,” he said.

SCREENING OF VIDEOS TITLE: ADRA SCREENING EXERCISE (40 COMMUNITIES) Different Agriculture videos where showed in forty communities, in four Districts in Northern Region. Namely; EAST GONJA, CENTRAL GONJA, WEST GONJA, AND YENDI. The Agricultural training videos which were translated in to local languages were shown in the various communities base on the crops they grow, and the languages they speak. In all 10586 community members were present during the screening exercise, among them were 3670 male farmers, 2830 female farmers and 4086 children. The training videos shown at the communities were STAGE DRAMA to show best agronomic practices, RICE TRAINNING VIDEOS AND STRIGA VIDEOS ’’10 WAYS TO FIGHT STRIGA’’.

Some Screening took place in the market square, while others at the chief’s palaces. Various chiefs and elders on behalf of their community members expressed gratitude to ADRA. They promised to adapt to the new and best ways of farming, and made an appeal to ADRA, to make the screening exercise a regular event. Screening took 3 months; along the way, screening officers also faced challenges. Some screening days fell on markets days, and other times screening got distracted by rain.

SCREENING OF VIDEOS TITLE: AVCMP SCREENING EXERCISE (60 COMMUNITIES) Different Agriculture videos where showed in 60 communities, in 10 in Northern Region. The Agricultural training videos which were translated in to local languages were shown in the various communities base on the crops they grow, and the languages they speak. In all 20387 community members were present during the screening exercise, among them were 11760 male farmers and 8627 female farmers. The training videos shown at the communities were STAGE DRAMA to show best agronomic practices, RICE TRAINNING VIDEOS AND STRIGA VIDEOS ’’10 WAYS TO FIGHT STRIGA’’.

Some Screening took place in the market square, while others at the chief’s palaces. Various chiefs and elders on behalf of their community members expressed gratitude to the AVCMP. They promised to adapt to the new and best ways of farming, and made an appeal to the AVCMP to make the screening exercise a regular event. Along the way, screening officers also faced challenges. Some screening days fell on markets days, and other times screening got distracted by rain. Screening was done in 60 communities and was supposed to end in 3 months, but due to financial setbacks, screening officers took 6 months and one day to complete the 60 communities.