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Dar es Salaam. Research examining the application of solar energy in agriculture across three East African nations has shown a significant enhancement in both the quantity and quality of media reports. The study, titled “Media Coverage of Solar Energy and its Productive Use in Agriculture in East Africa,” was carried out by the Africa Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) from January 1 to December 31, 2024. It found that coverage, especially in Kenya and Tanzania, has increased, indicating growing interest in solar energy as an essential public issue. According to the report, media coverage of solar energy increased by 79 percent, rising from 63 stories in 2023 to 113 in 2024. Despite this growth, the findings emphasized that most published articles remained largely event-focused, often initiated by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups. While enterprise and analytical reporting showed some improvement, the lack of investigative journalism and detailed analysis highlighted a missed chance to examine public responsibility and the wider effects of solar energy on farming. The study also identified regional differences among Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, with an overall variation of 30.1 percent. In Kenya and Tanzania, newspapers dominated the coverage, with Daily Nation and Mwananchi contributing 65.1 percent and 52.9 percent of their national output respectively. In Uganda, the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation produced 63.9 percent of all published stories. Dr Darius Mukiza, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam School of Journalism, stated that through collaboration with ACME and support from the Mott Foundation, the project has been successfully carried out in the three countries. “Since we started the project in 2023, initial findings showed that coverage of solar energy was very limited. However, the increase in coverage over time has been encouraging,” he said. He added that the team will continue working with media outlets to offer training for journalists and editors in order to enhance solar energy reporting. Speaking at the launch of the report, Deudatius Balile, Chairman of the Tanzania Editors’ Forum (TEF), emphasized that the media plays a vital role in ensuring that solar energy and agricultural issues receive the attention they deserve. “Energy matters are the foundation of development and should be considered a national priority. Therefore, journalists and media organizations are encouraged to go beyond event-based reporting and pursue more engaging, narrative-driven, and reliable stories for their audiences,” he said. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).