Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
activities, and carry out agroecosystem health assessments. The choice and sequenc-
ing of participatory tools varied depending on the objectives of the workshop.
3.2.5.1
creating cognitive maps
Cognitive maps (also known as loop models, influence or spaghetti diagrams) are
models that portray ideas, beliefs, and attitudes and their relationship to one another
in a form that is amenable to study and analysis (Eden et al., 1983; Puccia and
Levins, 1985; Ridgley and Lumpkin, 2000). Cognitive maps were developed, one
for each intensive study site, in 1-day participatory workshops. Participants were
divided into groups of 6-10, and each group was requested to show how various
social, economic, and biophysical factors influenced the health and sustainability of
their agroecosystem. Group activities were followed by group presentations in which
intergroup discussions were recorded. Details of the methods and processes used are
described in Chapter 4.
3.2.5.2
developing community-based Indicators
Community-driven indicators were developed through a participatory process in
which communities in six study sites were asked to list things that they would mea-
sure to determine if their agroecosystem was becoming more or less healthy or sus-
tainable. Details on the selection of study sites and the participatory tools used in this
process are provided in Chapters 2 and 6, respectively.
3.2.5.3
monitoring, evaluation, Planning, and assessments
For those indicators considered suitable, the tools, methods, resources, and time
frame needed for carrying out measurement were debated and agreed on. Four to
six groups of participants were formed to carry out measurement of different indica-
tors grouped on the health attributes for which they provided most information.
In each of the six villages, measurements were carried out over a period of
3-4 weeks. During this period, groups charged with measurement of specific indica-
tors within each village met weekly to discuss progress and results. After all groups
in a village had completed the measurement process, a 1-day workshop was then
held in the villages, and each of the groups presented their findings. Participants
were encouraged to debate the state of health (whether poor, average, or good) of
their agroecosystem and to state the reasons why. They were also asked to debate
whether the health was improving, deteriorating, or steady. Subsequently, communi-
ties preferred to carry out the assessments during intervillage meetings.
3.3 Results
Community participation in PAR workshops was high, with 75% to 100% of the
households and homesteads represented in all the participatory workshops held in the
study sites. In all the communities, the concept of participation in a research process
was new, but the concepts underlying the research were reported to be similar to tradi-
tional practices used by farmers and artisans. The use of tools that removed the need
Search WWH ::
Custom Search