Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet

About Nature Answers: Rural Stories from a Changing Planet

How can nature itself help us tackle the challenges of a changing world? Each episode, we dive into an inspiring story of how a community in rural Africa is harnessing the power of nature-based solutions to adapt, thrive, and heal the planet. In Season Two, our new host Ivy Prosper takes us to her home country, Ghana, plus Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Zambia, where we meet a woman growing her community, one tree at a time; young people banding together to save a swamp and the birds living in it; farmers using their ancestors' knowledge to keep their farms from flooding; and even communities using nature to help recover from addiction. Stay tuned to learn about things that you can do in your own backyard. Produced by Farm Radio International, a Canadian not-for-profit that provides resources and training to help rural broadcasters in Africa; in partnership with Carleton University Journalism students who travelled to Africa to produce this series.

Publisher

Farm Radio | Carleton University

Category

education · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Jan 2024

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

38 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   From Ash to Assets: How Biochar is Reshaping Kamonaayili

   In this episode, host Ivy Prosper takes us to Kamonaayili in northern Ghana, where farmers are using biochar, made from burned plant waste, to improve soil fertility, retain moisture and increase crop yields. We hear from farmers of different generations about how this nature-based solution is helping families improve food security, build financial independence and invest in their children’s futures. As harvests improve, young people are finding new opportunities in farming, and some who left the community are returning home.

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   The Root Cause: How Mangroves Are Saving Ghana’s Keta Lagoon

   What if restoring mangroves could help bring fish back to a community? In this episode, host Ivy Prosper takes us to Vodza and Agido in Ghana’s Volta Region, where local communities are restoring mangroves in the Keta Lagoon to help rebuild important fish spawning grounds. We hear from fishers, fishmongers, environmentalists and community leaders about how the loss of mangroves has affected local fisheries, and how residents are working together to restore them. The Landing Beach Enforcement Committee has already planted more than 500 mangroves and is finding new ways to protect the seedlings and reduce reliance on mangrove wood.

3. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Rooted in the Sand: Planting a Future Against the Waves in Volta

   In the Volta region of Ghana, the coastal community of Vodja has already lost 90% of its land mass to rapid sea erosion. Nestled precariously between a lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, residents are refusing to let the water claim the rest of their homes. Host Ivy Prosper travels to the shoreline to meet the local committee turning to a nature-based shield—massive coconut plantations—to stabilize the sand, reclaim their beach, and hold back the rising tide. In this episode, host Ivy Prosper, takes us to the Vodja region in Ghana where some remarkable individuals are using knowledge sharing to create incredible and sustainable outcomes for their community. Produced by Stefanja Ottier and edited by John McGill.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

873,113

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

3.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 44 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

31

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

51