Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
action, the monitoring and control unit was identified. Measures of performance,
based on what the effects and the causes of the problem were perceived to be, were
listed together with their targets and thresholds.
5.2.3 b u i l D i n g C o n s e n s u s , C o m p r o m i s e , A n D C o l l e C t i v e A C t i of n
The rich pictures and models were presented to the different groups or individuals
first separately and then together. Participants were asked to comment on the accu-
racy of the opinions depicted and what the implications appeared to be. Participants
were informed that there was opportunity to change any aspect of the models or
depictions that represented their own ideas. Changes in the models or depictions
were effected, with the participants required to state whether the changes they
requested were a change in their opinion (or view or perspective), a compromise, or
simply correction of an error in the depiction of their views. Where all participants
were present, models were presented as the views and opinions of the facilitator
on the problem situation. Criticism of the models and depictions by the community
and other stakeholders were therefore directed to the facilitator and not to the group
whose ideas were depicted. The identity of the groups or individuals whose views
were depicted in a model was not revealed to other stakeholders bearing a different
view.
5.3
Results
5.3.1
p r of b l e m s i t u A t i o n s
5.3.1.1
drainage and access Road Problems in Kiawamagira
During the rainy season and every time it rained for a few hours, most of the land
in Kiawamagira became flooded. Furthermore, the runoff was too much and had
created big gullies in various places in the village and along the only access road to
the village. The consequences were that the village was inaccessible at such times,
crops were destroyed, and soil productivity was declining. Plate 5.1 is a photograph
taken in October 1997 (shortly after the village workshop) showing one of the gullies
caused by runoff in Kiawamagira village. Plate 5.2 shows the state of the access road
during this time. Plate 5.3 shows one of the outlets passing under the railway line that
directs runoff to Kiawamagira village.
Figure 5.1 is a rich picture depicting the various perspectives of different groups
within the community and of other stakeholders. There were three main competing
perspectives on the causes of flooding, gully formation, and destruction of the access
road. The first was that the redirected runoff from the railway and road was the main
cause. The course of action, according to this perspective, was to take the institutions
involved in the redirecting of runoff to court with a view to compelling them to act.
Figure 5.2 shows the root definition and an activity system based on this perspective.
The second perspective was that it was the farmers who had redirected the runoff
from the farms to the access road, resulting in damage and gully formation along the
waterways. Based on this, the course of action was to cooperate as a village and find
ways and means of redirecting the runoff away from the village. The root definition
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