Use and effectiveness of participatory research tools for social inclusion

Use and effectiveness of participatory research tools for social inclusionFaridah Aini Muhammad, Department of Agriculture, MalaysiaESEE - 2015, Wageningen, 30 April 2015

InternationalSupport Group

What we learned

• Participatory tools help reveal differences in knowledge and facilitate social learning and freedom of expression

• Communities perceive tools as relatively easy to use and understand

• The tools we used supported and empowered women to explore new market opportunities.

The problem• Researchers often pay little

attention to how forest-dependent communities experience Participatory Research Tools

• Need to improve the approach and tools for research and extension organisations to reach out to local women and men of different backgrounds.

Objectives

Bioversity International\B. VincetiBioversity International\A. Drucker

Assess using four participatory tools: • Four-Cell Analysis• Venn Diagrams• Participatory Value Chain Mapping • Participatory Rapid Market Appraisal. Test the ease of use, effectiveness and usefulness of the tools.

Study sites in Sarawak, MalaysiaKakeng village• Bidayuh ethnicity• Christian faith• Mainly farmers• Pepper, rice, fruit trees in

agro-forestry systems.

Bungai village• Kedayan ethnicity• Islamic faith• Mainly farmers and fisher-folk• Fruit trees in agro-forestry systems.

Tools assessed and how

• Four Cell Analysis, Venn Diagrams, Participatory Value Chain Map, Participatory Rapid Market Appraisal

• Groups divided by age (< 40, > 40) and gender.

Work with community groups

• Participants were asked to evaluate on scale of 1-5 for ease of use of tools and importance of information obtained from tools

• Over a period of nine months, (July 2013 to March 2014) 3 session in each community.

THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Knowledge of native fruit trees

Status of Variety

Older Men Older Women Younger Men Younger Women

Common 2 3 3 3

Abundant 1 2 2 0

Threatened 2 5 1 1

Rare 6 3 2 7

TOTAL 11 13 8 11

1 2 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Older women

Older men

Round

Mar

ket c

hann

els

Market channels identified

PARTICIPATORY RAPID MARKET APPRAISAL

Ease of use of tools

FCA Venn Diagrams PVCM PRMA0

1

2

3

4

5

Young women-Kakeng

Older women-Kakeng

Older men-Kakeng

Older women-Bungai

Older men-Bungai

Tool

Scor

e

Participatory assessment of the participatory and gender-sensitive research approach according to different gender and age groups in Kampung Kakeng and Kampung Bungai

Assessment of tools

Younger women

Older women

Younger men Older men

Working within gender and age group

Freedom to communicate, share knowledge

Share information,understanding issues

Collaborating, exchanging and sharing ideas

Share knowledge, new information, fostering closer relationship

Working across gender and age groups

Challenging, different opinions, shy, nervous

Opportunity to exchange ideas

Uncomfortable, inferior feelings, exchange ideas

Awkward, younger people give different ideas, share knowledge

Overall appreciation of process

New experience, learn new things

Information, knowledge sharing

new ideas, strengthen relationships

sharing of ideas and information

FINDINGS

Participatory tools help to reveal differences in knowledge and facilitate social learning and freedom of expression.

FINDINGS

Community group members perceive tools as relatively easy to use and understand

FINDINGS

The tools - Participatory Value-Chain Mapping and Participatory Rapid Market Appraisal combined - supported and empowered women to explore new market opportunities.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS, THANK YOU!