Non-formal survey methods and tools

Informal surveys, key informant and group interviews, and workshops Exploratory ethnographic work was conducted (16 weeks; August-November, 2002) to ensure realistic and accurate knowledge of the area and the people, capturing some time dimension such as seasonality.

These included community surveys and direct observation (i.e. for physical environment assessment and community profiling), concept validation workshops, informal/key informant interviews, and transect walks to validate and refine the concepts of food security, livelihoods, poverty, and land quality and land management. This stage was inter-phased with the initial interviews and focused group discussions of the MSc student on soil and water management practices, which lasted till mid-October.

Orientation and concept validation workshop

Two sessions were conducted in each of the study village. The first one was a general orientation, and the second on concept validation. These sessions introduced the research project to the communities, its objectives

and the importance in using different methods, while requesting the participants representing the village sections to spread the word. Most case study respondents were present in these workshops. The participants were also consulted on the most convenient times and places to hold sessions.

In the main, these elicited local concepts such as household and family, and livelihoods and their components, which were basic to establishing a common language, and refine the concepts used. Each concept elicited local, cultural equivalents, which helped define the livelihood types used in the study, as well as the clear distinction between household and family. Concept pictorials (i.e. household and family), brainstorming and open discussions in sub-groups (livelihoods) were used with aids like manila paper, pens and group dynamics (e.g. games songs). A workshop guide was prepared (see Annex I).

Community surveys

This was basically a reconnaissance and direct observation of the local economy, social life and public services, local markets and distribution of goods, consumer and farm prices, social and political life and networks, influential groups, facilities, constraints and opportunities.

Transects

Done with key informants, these were walk-throughs in distinct agro-ecosystems in the villages noting the environment situation, soil and water resources, crop-farm systems, road network, and human settlements. These transects were helpful to prepare and triangulate for the FGD on agro-ecology, land use and management.

Key informant and informal interviews

These were combined with the community surveys, which were either individual, in pairs or small groups with local officials, knowledgeable and old farmers and village folks, health and nutrition workers, agriculture technicians, or ordinary folks on such information as the local social, political, and economic situation; farming and other livelihoods;

village development initiatives; local projects and services; food security and nutrition situation, influential people in the social, political or business spheres.

Local enterprise and related production area surveys

The community survey and reconnaissance identified the importance of mat weaving and bag making from the indigenous romblon (Pandanus odoratissimus) plant among a substantial number of households in Plaridel, either as household-based enterprise, or as workers in a native craft factory for export. An informal survey and key informant interviews were conducted among 15 key romblon craft producers in Plaridel. This is an important livelihood among women in the community since the

mid-1990 and some men have taken a specific part in certain activities (i.e. bag handles and twines) during off-farm seasons. A supply-link survey of the dried romblon raw materials farms in nearby islands was also conducted in May-June, 2003. The objective was to describe and determine the role and importance of the romblon crafts work as non-farm contribution to the livelihood portfolio in the village.

Local associations survey

Various informal and formal groups, either as support or enterprise groups among the locals, farmers and women, were interviewed. These included the craft makers, farmer cooperative, credit peer groups (e.g.

TSK, “tulay sa kabuhayan” or “bridge to livelihood”), and UPWARD (the romblon crafts association) in Plaridel; the women’s group (nutrition and farming), and irrigation association in Dulag. Informal interviews of key people were taken for a better understanding of the nature, opportunities and constraints associated with these groups.

Semi-structured observations and discussions

These basically consisted of focused group discussions (FGD), which dealt with food security and agro-ecological changes in the villages. The FGDs also included relevant issues, variables and relationships observed during the reconnaissance and key informant interviews. FGD guides were developed based on observed behavior, local people’s perspectives, and researcher’s questions.

FGD’s on food security and agro-ecology changes

Focused group discussions on food security . This consisted of five FGDs per village: three groups according to the life-cycle criterion based on wife’s age (i.e. <35 years, 35-50 years, >50 years); two groups according to sex. These were whole-day exercises of 14-20 participants per session.

In addition to informal discussions, each session included the application of various participatory tools (see Annex III):

• Food security concept validation – the local people’s concept of who are food secure, insecure or marginally food secure as well as the reasons behind these situations.

• Agricultural calendars (seasons; own-produced food (lean and peak), labour availability for farm, off-farm and non-farm work, activity by gender); match rainfall pattern and dry seasons.

• Time lines (community/plot land use, seasonal food security time line to include flows such as harvests, cash, food and cash, expenses for home and farm, labour, other resources or inputs).

• Mapping (resources, plots, conceptual mapping of food sources and threats to food security including prioritization) livelihood sources/ strategies and threats to strategies, dealing with risks and food shortages. The groups also ranked the village sections, by puroks, as to their food security situation.

Focused group discussions on changes in agro-ecology and land-use.

Three FGDs in Plaridel corresponding to its three geographic sections, and one FGD in Alegre were conducted (see Annex II) to include:

• Changes in soil fertility

• Changes in land use

• Land and water resources

The outputs of the focused group discussions on soil and water management and land use conducted by the MSc student, were used as inputs to this study.