Kisan Radio @ 90.4 FM

Contact Person: Mr. Prince Ojha 

Broadcasting Language: Hindi and Bhojpuri 

Genesis: Kisan Radio was established in 2012 by Kisan Sewa Sansthan in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh. The CRS was set up to support the farmers in the region and provide them all the necessary information related to farming. The CRS also focuses on community welfare through its programmes and initiative, and addresses social issues that require immediate attention. In the thirteen years of its service, Kisan Radio has been able to create a positive impact in the lives of the community members. 

Thematic Focus: The major focus area of Radio Kisan is agriculture. The CRS aims to help farmers by educating them, and providing them information about several aspects of farming. The CRS also works on developing programmes on youth empowerment, health, gender equality, and promoting social harmony. 

Sustainable Development Goals:Kisan Radio focuses on the following SDGs:

SDG 1: No Poverty 

SDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 16: Peace Justice and Strong Institution

Primetime Programmes:Radio Kisan has a large bank of community-oriented programmes.The primetime programmes that feature on Radio Kisan’s broadcast are Good Morning Basti, Chalo Gaanv ki Ore, and Smart Shreemati.

Good Morning Basti is the morning primetime show that discusses a range of topics like health, entertainment, public welfare, social issues, and provides the listeners with their daily dose of  morning motivation. Chalo Gaanv ki Ore is an immersive programme which often features the local farmers or the CRS staff visits them to share information on agricultural practices, weather, and other aspects of farming. Smart Shreemati is a programme that aims to empower the women in the society by discussing topics related to their health and hygiene, education, and career prospects.

Innovations in format or any other way: Radio Kisan regularly narrowcasts its programmes and initiatives in the local community, and also hosts different community-engagement activities, especially for the farmers. The CRS collaborates with the local administration to design interventions that address the concerns of the local community. The CRS is also active on all major social media platforms where it engages with its audience and shares its programmes.

Core Team: The core team at Radio Kisan is constituted of nine members including the Director, Station Manager, Marketing team, radio jockeys and other support staff. The team receives regular feedback from the community and curates the content as per the needs of the community. 

Major Projects Undertaken: Radio Kisan has been a part of various regional and national projects. The CRS collaborated with SMART NGO for a study in the rural area. The CRS also designed an intervention that involved the education minister, and focused on the education and welfare of girls in the locality. Additionally, the CRS also works on its own internal initiatives to address the concerns of the community. 

Sustainable Strategies: Radio Kabir is supported by its parent organisation Kisan Sewa Sansthan. The CRS generates revenue through the means of different paid collaborations with other organisations, and donates it towards the old age homes and educational institutions run  by the parent organisation. 

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: The broadcast range of Radio Kisan covers 27 villages which include Bhaisahiya, Dudhaura, Beliya, Ganeshpur, and Belgadi. These villages have a population of nearly 90,000. The CRS has an active listener base of 40,000 listeners. 

Major Concerns in the Community: People need to be educated on issues like gender equality and climate change in order for the next generation to have better futures. Farmers also need to be educated about techniques to increase their productivity and also about necessary steps to procure the right prices for their yield.