Kuttanadu Radio @ 90.0 FM

Contact Person: ATMA DPD

Broadcasting Language: Malayalam 

Genesis: Kuttanadu Radio was established by the Farm Information Bureau and began its operations in February 2017 in the Kuttanadu region of Alappuzha district of Kerala to cater to the specific needs of the diverse community in the region.

Kuttanadu is a geographically unique region and is one of the rare places in the world which lie lower than the sea level. Kuttanadu is known as the ‘Rice Bowl of Kerala’ and the major occupation in the region is agriculture. 

Thematic Focus: Since a majority of the people in the region belong to the farming community, the primary focus area of Radio Kuttanadu is agriculture.

Sustainable Development Goals: Radio Kuttanadu mainly focuses its work on the following SDGs:

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

SDG 15: Life on Land

Primetime Programmes: There is no specific primetime programme as the CRS focuses solely on disseminating knowledge on better agricultural practices, forecasts, and other aspects related to agriculture. 

The CRS hosts discussions, interviews and talk-shows with leading agriculturists and administrative officials, mainly from the agricultural department. 

Innovations in format or any other way: Apart from broadcasting, Radio Kuttanadu harnesses the power of narrowcasting. The CRS interacts with its community members to inform them about the latest technology, methods of farming, weather forecasts, and schemes for farmer welfare. 

The CRS also interviews farmers in the region who share their knowledge and experience for the benefit of the farming community. 

Core Team: There is no permanent staff at Radio Kuttanadu as the CRS mostly employs its functionaries on contract-basis. 

Major Projects Undertaken: Despite being founded in 2017, Radio Kuttanadu has only recently reached full operational status. In close collaboration with regional governments and other farming organisations, the CRS has primarily worked on internal projects.

Sustainable Strategies: Radio Kuttanadu receives financial support from the government, but regular and surplus flow of funds is one of the major concerns that affect the CRS. 

Radio Kuttanadu tries to generate its own revenue source through the means of advertising. 

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: More than 2,50,000 people live within the broadcast range of Radio Kuttanadu and therefore the CRS has a strong outreach potential.

Major concerns in the Community: The major concerns in the community are often related to agriculture. It includes pest outbreaks, heavy and untimely monsoons that cause flooding in the region and often ruin the harvest, and seasonal diseases.

The CRS works closely with the farming community and provides them with all necessary information related to their crop and weather.