Strengthening links between anthropologists and system dynamicists: participatory group modelling and natural resources

Strengthening links between

anthropologists and system

dynamicists:

participatory group modelling

and natural resources

Carol J. Pierce Colfer & Richard G. Dudley Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia)

Cornell Institute for International Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD, Ithaca, New York)

Outline of Talk

Rationale

Sample barriers to gaining accurate views from

marginalised stakeholders

System dynamics ‘requirements’ for participatory

modelling

Added complications in the rural developing world

Key steps in facilitation process

Suggestions for techniques

Relevance of participatory approaches

Utility of system dynamics for addressing global

problems

Difficulties of gaining input from the disempowered

Also:

Urgency of climate change (and relevance of system

dynamics)

2011 – The Year of the Forest

Rationale 1:

Why do we care

about marginalised people?

They live on the land

They make everyday

decisions about the land

They use land resources

to survive

…….. a day to day struggle.

Basically, they know what is really going on.

Rationale 2:

Sample Barriers to Gaining

Real World Views

Pygmies in Central Africa – stakeholder Identification

Junior Indonesian ACM team members – cultural and

structural constraints

Shangwe in Zimbabwe villages – ethnic and linguistic

communication barriers

Melayu woman in Borneo – gender barriers

Plantation workers in South Africa – the powerful

inhibit the less powerful

For Participatory Modelling 1

Pragmatic aspects (e.g. purpose of meeting and

agenda; needed equipment on hand; context with

few distractions)

Facilitation (establishing rapport; series of meetings;

open, semi-circular seating; ‘group memory’ -

evidence of the group’s thoughts and progress)

1 from Richardson & Andersen 1995; Vennix 1996; van den Belt 2004;

Vanclay, Prabhu & Sinclair 2006

System Dynamics Standard Practice Recommends:

Desired Attitudes & Skills (see Vennix 1996)

Attitudes

a helping attitude

authenticity and integrity

an inquiring mind

an air of neutrality

Skills

Appropriate feedback

Positive reinforcement

System Dynamics Standard Practice Recommends:

Roles (Richardson & Andersen 1995)

Facilitator

Recorder

Content coach

Process coach

Gatekeeper

[five people or combined?]

System Dynamics Standard Practice Recommends:

Added Complications in Rural

Developing World Settings

Complexity of stakeholders

Overlapping and differing

sociopolitical structures

Gender barriers and

differences

Extreme power differences

among participants

Illiteracy

High levels of conflict

These are of key potential importance for

climate change programs, such as:

NAPA (National Adaptation Programs for

Action)

REDD++ (Reducing Emissions from

Deforestation and forest Degradation)

Implications for Developing World

Participatory Modelling (4 slides)

Practical Considerations

Logistical complexities magnify (transport,

subsistence trade-offs, electricity, infrastructure++)

Implications for work in the developing world (1/4):

Need more time (to

acquaint villagers with

goals, procedures, and

obtain their ideas)

Cultural sensitivity may

be more crucial

Villager in Gabon expresses

his anger about local politics

Witness facilitates Zimbabwean farmer

meeting on a convenient hill

• ‘Comfortable locale’ - may mean in a village

Implications for work in the developing world (2/4):

Colfer with villager-collaborators in Sumatra

Changes in Key Steps

Identifying stakeholders – may require more effort

Decision about how to provide functions described

by Richardson & Andersen 1995

Obtain facilitation expertise

Some key facilitation points:

Learn to listen and observe social behaviour

Monitor and manage power imbalances

Implications for work in the developing world (3/4):

Some Steps in Facilitation

…with the marginalised in mind

Begin by getting group feedback, including ‘hopes

and fears’ for the meetings

Decide what meeting format will provide the most

input from those marginalized.

Manage domineering and silent members (talking

stick, ‘yellow/red card’, tossing a ball to speaker)

Implications for work in the developing world (4/4):

Sample Techniques

to Help Include the Marginalised

Fishbowl

Future scenarios

Line on the floor

Solve my problem

World Café

Ideas:

Solve my problem - Kyrgyzstan

A multi-stakeholder group

in Borneo presents their

drawing of factors

affecting health

A Tanzanian community

envisions their future

Principles about Group Process - 1

Smaller, like-minded groups encourage

freer participation [with report-backs to

the larger group]---early on

Diverse groups are useful for sharing of

perspectives and developing shared,

holistic analyses---as model evolves

People are more at ease, more

communicative, in familiar settings

Principles about Group Process - 2

Effective facilitation overcomes interaction

difficulties

The facilitator/modeler ‘suspends assumptions’ to

understand, then brings together divergent views

into a model

Sincere respect for participants, their cultural

systems and their opinions ‘comes across’,

encourages honest sharing of views

Conclusions

Urgent natural resource problems confront us, not

least those related to climate change

System dynamics modelling can help address these

problems

Issues of justice and human rights dictate more

effective inclusion of the marginalised

We hope system dynamics practitioners can both

address natural resource and climate change

problems, and work toward including all relevant

perspectives more effectively.

Questions? or Comments?

Read the related paper

Strengthening links between anthropologists

and system dynamicists: participatory group

modelling and natural resources

Contact

Carol Colfer: [email protected]

Richard Dudley: [email protected]