Barza Radio Community was a social networking website for African radio broadcasters developed by Farm Radio International in conjunction with International Development Research Centre and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA)[1] to help them share scripts and other radio content with each other, and develop their broadcasting skills.[2]

Barza Radio Community
FormationNovember 2011
TypeOnline Community
PurposeRural development
Region served
Africa
Official language
English & French
Parent organization
Farm Radio International
Websitehttp://www.barzaradio.com/

Background edit

Farm Radio International started forming networks of broadcasters to share information and research back in the 1970s.[3]

Barza is a French-Congolese word with Swahili roots which means, “The place where people in a village meet under a tree to talk and sort out questions concerning the community.”[4]

The Platform edit

The Barza website includes news, blogs, comments, discussion forums, and content sharing features. Users can upload their own radio and farming related content, specifically radio scripts, events, photos, video, and audio. Resources are organised by topic, such as climate change, food processing and storage, water and sanitation, market information, broadcasting techniques, gender, malaria, HIV/AIDs, etc. There is also a French website for Barza. Broadcasters have their own profile page and there is a Barza Café discussions page where users can participate in various discussions.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Introducing Barza! – the online community for radio broadcasters : Farm Radio International Live Blog". Blog.farmradio.org. Archived from the original on 2012-07-26. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  2. ^ "ICT4D community: Barza online networking site for African farm radio broadcasters". e-Agriculture. 2007-02-12. Archived from the original on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  3. ^ "Thirty years of helping African farmers by radio". Manitobacooperator.ca. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  4. ^ "Barza – the online community for African radio broadcasters | Farm Radio International". Beta.farmradio.org. Retrieved 2012-09-30.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Barza | Soul Beat Africa". Comminit.com. Retrieved 2012-09-30.