Financial Literacy for Small Farmers in Kenya Via TV

Whilst a significant amount of Government resources have been spent on agricultural research institutions in Kenya, very little effort has been made to ensure the information reaches farmers and their families. On March 2012, a regional television program produced by Mediae, aiming to provide information to millions of farmers on how to improve their incomes and livelihoods, called “Shamba Shape-Up” was launched.  

Research on a previous show that Mediae had designed, called the Makutano Junction, showed that 70% of the show’s audience, or five million people, were from rural areas.

Shamba Shape Up is Kenya’s first “makeover show”. Each week, the production team, led by well-known Kenyan presenters visit a shamba (farm) and show the farmer how to improve the running of their farm with the help of various experts. The show’s driving ethos is for them to grow more food, make more money and build a better life for their family. 

This Masai tribe stands outside their hut in Kenya.

A pilot of the show was produced in 2008, and funding was secured for three series, each consisting of 26-minute episodes in 2010 from AECF (the Africa Entrepreneurship Challenge Fund) – an initiative funded by DFID. This fund provides matching funds on the condition that Mediae secures the remaining money from a variety of partners from the commercial, development, donor, and NGO sectors. The program is currently broadcast in the East Africa region in English and Swahili.

Improvements suggested in the show are specifically designed to demonstrate financial principles.  For example, calculating the investment needed to purchase fertiliser which would result in an improved yield, and the potential additional profit generated.

Through this program, practical solutions are sought for farmers participating in the series which would improve their financial position and which could also be readily understood and adopted by viewers.

Once a short-list of potential farms in a geographical area is developed, a financial expert visits the farm with the director and producer of the show and identifies key financial messages that would be relevant in that farm. The consultant, then appears on screen as Shamba Shape-up‘s resident financial expert offering a variety of financial advice, related to the different farmer’s circumstances. We see her helping Arthur in Kakamega calculate the cost of installing a water tower for vegetable irrigation, or teaching Christine the importance of record-keeping for her small shamba and insuring her cow – her principal source of income.

Mediae conducts extensive quantitative pre and post-broadcast research that gauges changes in knowledge, attitude and behaviour.  Viewers can send an SMS to Mediae and ask for a free information leaflet.  Current episodes attract over 8,000 leaflet requests a week.  Mediae’s SMS dashboard system also allows partners to respond to any questions that are texted in by viewers.

Immediately after the first series finished broadcasting, the television channel took the decision to repeat the series straight away. There are rumours that it is one of Kenya’s most popular, locally-produced show.  Mediae hopes that if only 10% of the show’s estimated 7 million audiences decide adopt just one of the ideas presented, then a farm would be able to generate $300 in revenue. This would mean an additional $210 million for rural families in the East African economy. That will - in turn - result in a greater demand for financial capability and resources in these areas.

The second and third series are currently in production and are due to start airing early in 2013. There has been a deluge of interest in the show’s format with requests for local productions from throughout Africa (Namibia, Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan) and even Latin America.  It is certain that financial education will remain a core component of these shows. 

Full episodes and clips of the show, together with the leaflets are available on the show’s website www.shambashapeup.com. For more information contact  david@mediae.org.  

-----------The author is a media specialist with over thirty years of experience in natural resources, rural livelihoods and development in Africa.