Role of interactive radio programming in advancing women’s and youth’s empowerment and dietary diversity: Mixed method evidence from Malawi

Much progress has been achieved over the years in reducing gender gaps in resources and opportunities, but major gaps persist in the area of agricultural information and extension services. The study contributes to filling this gap by assessing the effect of low-cost communication tools, i.e., interactive radio programming, on women’s empowerment and dietary diversity, employing nationally representative household panel data, intrahousehold data, and qualitative interviews in Malawi. Three major findings can be highlighted. First, radio programming is the preferred source of agricultural and nutrition advice among many subpopulations: younger women and men used radio more than other sources for their agricultural information needs, while younger and older men used radio more than other sources for nutrition education. Second, results show positive impacts of access to advice from radio on dietary diversity among the rural population. Men’s access to agricultural and nutrition advice from radio contributes to improving household dietary diversity. Third, results show a strong association between access to interactive radio programming and greater women’s and men’s empowerment scores. Access to agricultural advice from radio by older women is associated with greater effect on their empowerment score than other groups. Access to nutrition advice from radio by younger men and women is associated with greater effect on their empowerment than older men and women.