1993 Volume 7 No. 2 The Mediation of Dependence: Development Communication Planning for Agriculture Development in Northern Nigeria Les Formes de Communication Traditionnelles en C6te d'lvoire et Leur Utilisation en Matiere d'Education pour la Sante Agriculture on Nigerian Television: a Critique of Current Practice Copyright © 1993 by the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), Nairobi, Kenya, ISSN 0258-4913 Africa Media Review provides a forum for the study of communication theory, practice and policy in African countries. It is published three times a year by the ACCE Institute for Communication Development and Research, P. O. Box 47495, Nairobi, Kenya. Telephone: 227043/ 216135/215270/334244 ext 2068 Telex 25148 ACCE KE. Correspondence and Advertising Authors should send contributions to the Managing Editor, ACCE Institute for Communication Develpment and Research, P. O. Box 47495, Nairobi, Kenya. Books for review, book review articles and all other matters regarding AMR should be sent to the same address. Subscription Rates One Year Two Years Three Years Africa US$ 39:00 US$69:00 US$99:00 Outside Africa US$ 48:00 US$ 90:00 US$ 132:00 These rates include packing and postage. Single copies are US$ 13:00 within Africa and US$ 16:00 outside Africa. Cheques or money orders should be made payable to African Council for Communication Education and sent to the above address. Special arrangements will be entered into where applicable for subscribers in Africa through their nearest ACCE national co-ordinator. ACCE institutional and individual members receive AMR as part of membership privileges. Managing Editor Editorial Assistant Circulation ACCE President Dr. Charles Okigbo, African Council for Communication Education Nairobi, Kenya. Angelina Mwashumbe, African Council for Communication Education, Nairobi, Kenya. Rahab Gatura, African Council for Communication Education, Nairobi Kenya. Dr. Francis Wete, University of Yaounde, Cameroon. Comments on the Contents of this Issue This issue of the AMR offers challenges for communication practitioners to come up with development communication planning policies that are adaptable to specific communities in African countries. The various papers presented in this issue discuss the role of development communication planning and effective information management in the social and economic development processes in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cote d'lvoire and Kenya. E. O. Soola contends in his article that for effective information management at the grassroots all sectors of society should take part in decision-making at that level. In his critique of agricultural programmes on Nigerian television, Lai Oso contends that the agricultural programmes were limited in their focus, perspective and range of issues, and neglected crucial social economic issues of the day. In keeping with Lai Oso's critique, Jubril B. Mohammed argues in his paper that development communication planning policies in Northern Nigeria need radical restructuring as they tended to create dependency. The Development Through Radio Project in Zimbabwe analysed by Nancy George in her paper shows positive contributions towards the agricultural needs of farmers in the community. The experiment has been proposed for Kenya. Kouame Kale and Niangnehi Sia's study reveals that traditional communication patterns in Cote d'lvoire can be used to disseminate information on health education. 11 Table of Contents 1 The Mediation of Dependence: Development Communication Planning for Agriculture Development in Northern Nigeria by Jubril Bala Mohammed 17. Les Formes de Communication Traditionnelles en Cote d'lvoire et Leur Utilisation en Matere d'Education pour la Sante par E. Kale Kouame et J. Niangnehi Sia 30. Agriculture on Nigerian Television : A Critique of Current Practice by Lai Oso 44. A Systemic Approach to Information Management at the Grassroots by E. O. Soola 52. Using Radio for Community Mobilization: Experiences in Zimbabwe and Kenya by Nancy A. George Hi