AR ESA phase2 participatory-research-design-training Oct2016

Lilongwe, Malawi

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• More photos from the event (click to view)
• 'File:AR_ESA_partresearchtraining-finalparticipantslist.doc List of Participants '(click to download)

• This 2-day training preceded the Africa RISING ESA Phase 2 Inception/Review and Planning Meeting

Agenda

Day 1 (3 October, 2016)

• Recent thinking in systems research and implications for research designs – R. Coe (click to download presentation)
• Africa RISING sustainable intensification framework – P. Grabowski (click to download presentation)
• Practical session – looking at different data sets that participants submitted to the trainer

Day 2 (4 October, 2016)

• Approaches to analysis and the sort of results that can be generated - R. Coe (click to download presentation)
• Group work – causal loops in system analysis? (see photos of the sample causal loops developed by groups below)

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• Brainstorming in 3 groups on research design issues that are challenging/problematic/confusing

Feedback from group B:

Discussion focus: Assessing farmer preferences concerning new practices (how are preferences connected to decisions) 1. What level of experience (length and scale/intensity) is needed for farmers to evaluate a practice?

• From observing a demo to practicing it over many years or
• Working on a 10x10 m plot over 1 ha?

2. When should we aim for overall assessments and when for specific characteristics (affordable, social acceptable, accessible)

• When to elicit from farmers and when to predefine

3. Who is doing the assessing, how are they chosen?

• Random selection?
• What do the choices represent?

4. What is the connection between an expressed preferences and decision making – Irmgard’s FIAT vs Mercedes example 5. When should assessment be relative and when absolute 6. Where do you assess preferences from?

• Under a tree?
• At the site?

7. How do we avoid biasness in the assessment of preferences?

• Farmers may tell what you want to hear.

8. Who is asking questions on preferences…the donor/scientists vs local farmers 9. How are the preferences expressed?

• Ratings and rankings on scale/ advantages and disadvantages?
• Both options may still be bad!

10. When should you assess preferences with groups and individuals ?

• Who decides on this?
• What are the groups?

Tools 1. Farmers’ participatory research

• Group level
• Individual level

2. Surveys 3. Ranking and ratings 4. Observations

Feedback from group C Discussion focus: Baselines, controls and farmer practice

Baseline

• Questionnaire- to get overall picture of circumstances
• Pretest with rigor and consistency and (thoroughness) and refine quest
• Build trust with interviewees
• Integrate bio and social/ quantitative and qualitative
• Use baseline info from previous when avail (How can we promote this?)
• Consider sensitive questions

Control

• Well-tied to objectives
• Depending on objective will impact control used e.g. Microfauna – treatment + status quo. Look at existing level in natural setting- control; Nutrition – village no inputs Vs village with inputs. After time- make observations

Farmer Practice

• Normal/ average way of doing something.
• Equilibrium (after others have had their impact e.g. NGOs) state without our intervention