By Kuvee Kangueehi WINDHOEK A new radio programme, which will be known as ‘Farmers Voice’, is soon to go on the air following an agreement signed on Friday by the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Meatco and Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU). The programme will initially be aired on the Otjiherero radio service but will extend to the Oshiwambo and Lozi services before the end of the year. At the signing of the agreement NNFU President Manfred Rukoro said ‘Farmers Voice’ would be an informative and educational approach to generating awareness amongst farmers of Namibia. Rukoro said the programme would employ concise and comprehensive deliveries of educational and informative messages exploring issues, concerns, initiatives and farming practices. “This programme will ultimately reflect the attitudes, inputs, opinions and perspectives of the farmer and farming stakeholders in Namibia,” said Rukoro. The production of the programme will be done by a company called Myndz Community, and will involve field interviews. He added that the NNFU and the producers will set up a calendar of topics for which feature inserts will be done. The NNFU president noted that his institution and Meatco realized the imperative role played by the provision of timely information dissemination to producers around livestock marketing, in enhancing the institutional profiles, and thus decided to be part of this new programme. Rukoro said the programme will be part of the two institutions’ mandate to bring producers closer to the Meatco and NNFU. He also announced that themed programme broadcasts, farmer education, industry event coverage, programme bulletins, public announcements and information reinforcements will comprise the overall content of the radio component. The first two bi-monthly pilot broadcasts will target Otjiherero-speaking audiences, while subsequent ones, also bi-monthly, will target Otjiherero- as well as Oshiwambo-speaking listeners. A proposed video component of ‘Farmers Voice’ will broadcast quarterly features of industry, seasonal events and other relevant information in the same style employed within the radio broadcast. Eventually, the radio and television broadcasts aim to cater for Otjiherero-, Oshiwambo- and English-speaking listeners. Rukoro also revealed that NNFU will be expected to provide transport for the reporter assigned to fieldwork. Meatco will pay for the production cost of the programme and, although no amount has been fixed, Rukoro stated that it is expected that the cost for production will be between N$9ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 and N$11ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 per month. Meatco spokesperson, Uschi Ramakutla, stated at the same occasion that radio appears to be the most effective mode of communication and her company was delighted to be part of the project. Acting head of Radio Otjiherero, Alex Kaputu, said the initiative is a step in the right direction. He is optimistic that the programme will improve the lives of many people in the communal areas. He said the first programme is expected to go on he air this month.