Content Analysis of Select Agricultural Radio Programs in Indigenous Languages in North-Central Nigeria

Radio has been seen as a predominant source of information for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Even though the width of radio coverage differs from nation to nation, it can be said that about 80 percent to 90 percent of family units in Africa have functional radio sets (Odame, 2008). Furthermore, studies by Zeweld, Van Huylenbroeck, Tesfay, and Speelman (2017); Nwammuo and Salawu (2019); Ismail, Sabran, and Ariffin (2019) suggest that messages from the radio influence farmers to change their behavior resulting in better farm yields. Radio programs have been the ideal tool to achieve improved development of rural small-scale farmers in Africa (Awiti, Silas, and Onyango, 2017). Radio programs urge rural dwellers to be interested in development by embracing innovations (Asuman and Diedong, 2019). The connection spans from radio to rural dwellers, then agriculture and development, which is of great importance. It may be said that most residents in rural areas engage in subsistence farming. The people require fundamental life necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter from their stock and trade. Subsequently, radio programs help educate them on the utilization of pesticides, the dosage, the time of use, and the preventive measures against threats. Radio programs have become the most regarded mass media apparatus in developing countries, giving a genuine alternative to the invention and dissemination o