•Nutrition and other related programmes focusing on reducing malnutrition and stunting are what the listening clubs will be focusing on so that those who listen in turn share and spread the message further.

By Brian Siwisha –

Over the years, radio has proved to be a very effective and useful tool when communicating to masses and more so to those who cannot access other media such as newspapers and television.
Development experts and those in advocacy and communication have heavily relied on this medium to channel out information on subjects of importance.
Despite the rise of the social media and dawn of the digital age, radio still remains as one of the most powerful communication tools in the 21st century.
In nations where internet and electricity are limited, radio is the most pervasive and still the dominant mass-medium in Africa, reaching further than newspapers and television, both in terms of audience numbers and geographical reach.
As such, its power if well harnessed can be used to foster development and be an invaluable tool in effective communication.
In Zambia, many rural communities and especially those in hard to reach areas such as small-scale farmers and women have a lot of respect for the radio.
To them it is as a reliable and important source of information for improving their livelihoods.
These communities always make it a point to listen to the radio and some even take their sets with them to the field.
As part of efforts to combat stunting and reduce malnutrition in the country, the National Food and Nutrition Commission(NFNC), is devising ways to engage communities to adopt practices that will ensure children are properly fed and well looked after in their various localities.
It envisions that families learn and adopt practices that can improve the nutrition and health status of mothers and children during their first early stages of life.
This includes exclusive breastfeeding of babies for six months, feeding the child with proper nutritious food, prevention of diseases such as diarrhoea and regular monitoring of the baby’s growth until it is two years of age.
The commission also realises that the responsibility of raising a child is not only for the mother but everyone who surrounds that child.
Care givers such as fathers, aunties, grandmothers and the entire community have a role to play.
In order to reach out to all these, the commission has embarked on forming radio listening groups in the 14 districts where its presence is found and the problem of malnutrition and stunting is more prevalent.
These are Lundazi, Chipata, Shan’gombo, Kalabo, Mongu, Mumbwa, Mwinilunga, Zambezi, Samfya, Mansa, Kaputa, Mbala, Kasama and Chinsali.
Charles Ngoma whose home village is more than 180 kilometers away from Lundazi Boma in the valley, is elated at the sight of radio sets being handed over to his community.
“You do not know what you have done to us as villagers in this game management area. Radio reception is very poor because of our location.
But with this wind-up radio, we shall now be  listening to programmes that will uplift our lives, ’’ said Ngoma.
Five radio listening groups have been formed in Lundazi district in areas where it was felt radio reception was inaccessible and far from the boma.
The areas where the clubs have been formed are Mwanya, Chitunguluse, Kazembe, Magodi and Luwelezi.
The groups were also given the famous wind-up radios which are fitted with a solar panel for charging power in the absence of electricity and have a memory card slot for playing pre-recorded programmes.
In order to measure its impact, radio can only be enhanced when people with similar interests – for example, farming, health or politics – listen to the radio in groups.
This is because, afterwards, people can discuss what they have heard, share experiences and even plan what actions they should take.
This is exactly what the programme aims to achieve.
Nutrition and other related programmes focusing on reducing malnutrition and stunting are what the listening clubs will be focusing on so that those who listen in turn share and spread the message further.
The commission has packaged programmes on nutrition promotion, jingles and dramas on microchips commonly known as memory cards.
The programmes which the groups will be listening to on the radio sets include the use of alternative but locally available nutritious rich foods, breast feeding, caring for children and involvement of caregivers to support mothers and children such as fathers and community leaders.
Lundazi District Technical Working Group Chairperson Lillian Banda reiterated on the need for the clubs to ensure that messages focusing on mothers breast feed their babies exclusively for six months and children fed with nutritious food reach out to everyone after every listening session.
Mrs  Banda noted that the 46 per cent prevalence of stunting children Lundazi has should not be taken lightly but should motivate all stakeholders including communities to work hard towards reducing it.
She said leaving the problem to the ministry of health and national food and nutrition commission alone will not yield any positive results.
“We as mothers, fathers and community leaders know our homes better. It is important we work together and see to it that the radio sessions start taking place.
If agriculture through radio farm forums and education through Taonga Market can do it, why not involve communities promote eating nutritious foods, “said Mrs. Banda.
That is more the reason why a senior government official in Chipata during an orientation of the district technical working group on the communication strategy called for the intensifying of monitoring and regulating of foods being produced on the market so that the country is guarded against problems of under nutrition.
Chipata District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu observed that the shift in the choice of foods Zambians today preferred should be a concern for everyone.
“People today feed on foods which are questionable and are full of toxics harmful to the body.
Failure to address the trend will lead to having a future generation which is not healthy,’’ Mr Zulu noted.
Mr Zulu said it was time people went back to the old ways of feeding where locally produced foods constituted most meals and was balanced.
He noted that certain food adverts portrayed in the media were misleading the public, and as such most communities have now abandoned their traditional dishes.
Mr Zulu said providing nutritious food to children during the early years of life is the only way they will grow to become healthy and contribute effectively to national development.
The district Commissioner appealed to the media and other stakeholders involved in advocacy campaigns to sensitise people on nutritional positive messages encouraging people to eat proper and balanced diets.
He observed that community radio was one such powerful tool which can be used in rural parts of the country so that many people are reached as its impact was immediate.
The concept of organised and structural radio forums was originated in Canada from the 1940s to supplement formal education needs and, Everett Rogers, Juan Braun and Mark Vermilion who coined it up describe a radio forum as a “small listening and discussion group that meets regularly to receive a special radio programme, which the members then discuss.”
Experience from those who conceptualised listening groups and are currently using them, attest that these forums are a very effective channel when it comes to reaching out to rural communities.
The system has worked out very well for the ministries of agriculture and education in the country since it was first introduced by George Atkins, in 1967.
So even the National Food and Nutrition Commission does not want to leave any stone unturned especially that the Zambia Demographic Health Survey of 2013-2014 shows that  40 per cent of children under age five are stunted, and 17 percent are severely stunted.
The commission is aware that good nutrition is a very important catalyst for the development of any country and well-being of its citizenry.
The period from birth to two years of age is very critical for the optimal physical, mental, and cognitive growth, health, and development of every child. -ZANIS