Agri Radio Goes Bilingual to Reach Global Audience

Raichur

The Agriculture FM station at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Raichur, is set to expand its reach globally by broadcasting programmes in both Kannada and English. Launched in 2023 under the name Krishi Samudaya Banuli Kendra on 89.6 MHz, the station initially catered only to Kannada-speaking farmers in villages within a 20 km radius.

Now, with the launch of the KKCRS Raichur Android app, listeners worldwide can access agriculture-related programmes via web streaming. This bilingual initiative, introduced quietly on May 27, aims to help farmers adopt scientific agricultural methods for better yields while also engaging a global audience interested in agricultural innovations.

“We plan to provide English broadcasts soon to enable our farmers to connect with global experts. Agriculture knows no boundaries,” said Dr. M. Hanumanthappa, Vice-Chancellor of UAS Raichur.

To support this transition, UAS Raichur has established a fully equipped recording studio, a technical room, and modern broadcasting infrastructure on par with traditional FM stations. The Directorate of Agricultural Extension is now prepared to deliver high-quality content through both radio and digital platforms.

The station is poised to become the only agricultural FM broadcaster in Karnataka offering multilingual farmer-centric programmes. Besides the KKCRS app, content can also be accessed by scanning a QR code provided by the extension directorate using an Android device.

This move marks a significant step toward empowering farmers through accessible, expert-backed, and multilingual agricultural education.

“Given that a majority of mobile users possess Android devices, it is straightforward to install the app and tune into ‘Kalyana Krishi Samudra Banuli Kendra,’” explained Dr. Hanumanthappa.