This year’s (2025) converted George Atkins Communications Award from Farm Radio International was won by Jirapa FM’s Fidelis Da-uri for his “outstanding commitment and contribution to food security and poverty reduction through impactful rural broadcasting”.
Farm Radio International is an internationally acclaimed Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) headquartered in Canada and was founded by George Stuart Atkins, a renowned Canadian Television broadcaster and Radio host in the year 1979.
As part of its mandate, Farm Radio International works with radio broadcasters to improve food security and agriculture methods for small-scale farmers in rural communities in Africa and the award scheme was instituted to recognize broadcasters who have excelled in that area.
Da-uri used radio learning to propagate his messages to farmers with over 250,000 listeners where the spotlight was on the “Talking Book” where farmers received agriculture information from their local radio stations couched around songs, interviews and drama. He has also produced and broadcasted programs with radio stations in Northern Ghana. And at Jirapa FM, he disseminated several radio programs on agriculture, health, peace and social cohesion, among others.
He also picked up feedback from the listeners to improve upon subsequent episodes.
Fidelis Da-uri hails from the Upper West Region of Ghana, specifically a farming community in the Jirapa municipality.
He picked up intereste in rural radio at a very tender age and was usually sighted with a small radio set from his neck where he shared radio programmes with anyone who cared to listen, earning him the nickname “the radio boy”.
Eventually, he has worked on projects in the areas of agriculture, nutrition, health, education, social issues, among others with organizations such as GIZ, UNICEF and USAID.
He has pursued several courses in that area and has won a number of awards including the “Silver Star Performers” award from Farm Radio International. 
He is currently leading Jirapa FM participation in the Farm Radio International Nature Based Solution competition.
The award was presented to him at the offices of Jirapa FM here in Jirapa by General Manager of Jirapa FM, Kevin Ganaa and Joseph Banmiyan, an agric extension officer from the Agric Department whom he has been working closely with.
Rosita Atisu, a project officer with Farm Radio International explained the rigorous, meticulous and transparent nature of selection which was followed in the selection process saying that his work really deserved the award.
She encouraged him to keep up the good work and be a source of inspiration to others and that Farm Radio International was excited working with Jirapa FM and was looking up to having more collaborative efforts.
Da-uri’s colleagues and well-wishers took turns to congratulate him and urged him to go for larger laurels.
