Radio and Sustainable Food Production in Ghana: Citi Fm’s Local Rice Campaign in Perspective

Abstract

Knowledge on sustainability is essential for behavioural change and sustainable lifestyle aimed at eliminating local and consequently, global challenges. The media, a major social institution charged with the responsibility of protecting public interest and fostering development, has a role through its information service function, to put accurate and relevant information on national issues out there for the consumption of their audiences. It is against this backdrop that this study examined the media as a strategic partner in promoting and sustaining food production in Ghana, using a local rice campaign by Citi FM as a case. Situated within the social responsibility and the agenda setting theories, this study was approached qualitatively, using semi-structured interviews with the Programme Director of Citi FM’s local rice campaign and the Head of Communications at the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Office in Ghana. The study found among other things that, promoting agriculture was a core vision of Citi FM, and by this campaign, local rice production and consumption in Ghana was boosted per the strategies and information provided. However, this effort which aimed at improving the economic fortunes of farmers and reducing unemployment led to the FM station losing advertisement from rice importers. This paper recommends governmental support for sustainability focused media organisations, while urging others, especially local language FM stations to be sustainability oriented, and have as their vision, a commitment to promoting local initiative and fostering development to be able to contribute significantly to the global picture of promoting and attaining the SDGs by 2030.