Launched in 2012 by The Mediae Company, Shamba Shape Up is East Africa’s most watched and longest running agricultural TV series, aired in English, Swahili, Luganda, Bemba and Nyanja on Kenyan, Ugandan, Zambian and Tanzanian national TV as well as streamed on social media with an estimated total of 2.2 million online viewers.
In Kenya, where it has its core audience of 8-10 million weekly viewers, the reality make-over show is filmed on smallholders' farms where 'climate-smart' agricultural methods are demonstrated and science-based solutions such as 'Precision Agriculture' are explained, allowing farmers to increase their productivity and financial viability.
'Africa's favourite farming show' is designed to spread useful farming insights and helped farmers deal with the effects of the record-breaking East African drought that has devastated the region's agriculture.
The TV programme is also backed up by a call centre where experts are available to offer instant advice to callers who use the iShamba hotline which claims to have half a million regular users.
Lorenzo Maccotta joined the film crew to get a behind-the-scenes look at this media phenomenon.
In Kenya, where it has its core audience of 8-10 million weekly viewers, the reality make-over show is filmed on smallholders' farms where 'climate-smart' agricultural methods are demonstrated and science-based solutions such as 'Precision Agriculture' are explained, allowing farmers to increase their productivity and financial viability.
'Africa's favourite farming show' is designed to spread useful farming insights and helped farmers deal with the effects of the record-breaking East African drought that has devastated the region's agriculture.
The TV programme is also backed up by a call centre where experts are available to offer instant advice to callers who use the iShamba hotline which claims to have half a million regular users.
Lorenzo Maccotta joined the film crew to get a behind-the-scenes look at this media phenomenon.
