IV. PARTICIPATORY DIAGNOSIS

This case study presents the basic elements of progress and evaluation of the analysis and participatory diagnosis conducted with women and men in the forest zone of Tbaïnia (Aïn Draham). The objective of the participatory survey was to contribute to the acquisition of more precise knowledge on the role of women in agriculture and natural resource management in the forest setting, and to improve techniques for the collection and analysis of data with the population for grassroots planning.

Methodological principles

For projects more specifically oriented toward rural women and capable of being implemented within the framework of the 9th plan, the directions held valid by the Ministry of Agriculture were as follows:

· promote the contribution of women to the protection of natural resources (water, forests, sea, land);

· recognize the value of women's potential for self-advancement;

· increase the productivity of agricultural and para-agricultural activities in which the contribution of women is decisive;

· support income-generating economic activities;

· improve conditions for the exercise of women's activities;

· improve the quality of life (hygienic conditions, primary health care, etc.).

In order to identify viable and sustainable projects meeting these objectives, prominence was given to participatory surveys and the implementation of activities was based on three fundamental principles:

· the active participation of men and women in defining activities;

· integration in time and space of agreed activities;

· taking into account gender issues.

Participation: a participatory method is fundamental for encouraging the active and responsible involvement of men and women as well as local contributors. Use of communication and animation techniques focused on groupings gives strength to community dynamics. Participation also means that the population plays a determinant role in the collection and analysis of data, and the identification of priority problems and activities to undertake. The concept of participation moves beyond the simple level of expectations and requests for assistance in return for a symbolic contribution to the project.

Integration: the approach is integrated, meaning that the start or reinforcement of productive activities fall within the framework of social, economic and technical development that respects sustainability (compatibility with ecological needs and social aspirations). Understanding the reality of the community⁷ and knowledge of its methods and systems for exploiting and managing resources are fundamental. Agreed activities are therefore coherent with the context and create a minimum of negative interaction.

Gender: Respect for the principles of participation and integration imply the active involvement of all members of an entire community, men and women, and knowledge of their respective activities. Recognizing that the involvement of women in the development effort cannot be separated from that of men, the working method pays particular attention to social and economic gender relations, taking into account the specificity of their roles, responsibilities, expectations and constraints in relation to the development measures identified.

In the framework of TCP, in the course of participatory surveys, women were the main actors in the process. Men were consulted regularly to allow them to express their perceptions and needs.

Accelerated Participatory Research Method

The agreed methodology aimed to identify development activities with women contributing their know-how, knowledge and experience. For the collection and analysis of data, the participatory diagnosis calls largely on tools selected from APRM: semi-structured interviews (SSI), diagrams, matrices of priorities, focal groups, etc. These tools are adapted to situations and complemented by a conventional survey carried out at community level and by reference to available documentation on rural development experience in the region. Certain working rules, underlined by APRM, were taken into account, namely:

· triangulation based on:

· the collection and cross-checking of information from primary sources (men and women) and secondary sources (training structures, local authorities, etc.);

· the active participation of male and female animators of the Regional Commissioner for Agricultural Development (RCAD) and contributing NGOs of the region given their particular knowledge of the population;

· the combination of different tools (previously cited);

· analysis and immediate self-criticism of the information collected in order to ensure relevant information, coherence of the process and to obtain results compatible with the expectations of the population (in this case, the definition of development activities).

Collection of information

Visual didactic supports were used to facilitate the collection of data, communicate with the population and initiate reflection and dialogue. The charts used (cf. Annex 5) encouraged the structuring of discussion and acted as a graphic aid to retain group interest. They build up information that can be reused on any occasion. Below, the tools used during the key phases of the methodology are presented in chronological order of use:

Collection of secondary information

So-called secondary information is taken first of all from any document (report, study, chart, etc.) that can be used to reinforce and support the diagnosis to be carried out with men and women. SSIs with personnel from state or non-governmental training structures also generate information. This information is articulated around the following aspects:

· socio-economic data from the study zone;

· intervention or training programmes, envisaged or already realized;

· material and human means for these programmes;

· work strategies and approaches;

· external cooperation;

· problems encountered and proposed solutions.

Collection of primary information

Primary information refers to information collected from the population: it is cross-checked with secondary information and complements such information. This phase is broken down into two parts: the collection of basic information, the collection of women-specific information.

Collection of basic information is effected through group survey, so-called "community survey", using the following lines of investigation:

· Demographic composition of douars/communities;

· Elements of living standards;

· Identification of existing structures;

· Existing methods of community organization and process;

· Farming systems and activities;

· Access to resources and services;

· Agrarian systems, including forestry activities;

· Working conditions: gender-based division of tasks and work load.

The community survey is completed by SSIs to increase information concerning activities and centres of interest. If possible, the data are broken down by gender and collected according to gender.

Parallel to the community survey, the team proceeds to direct observation, which is necessary to compare and complete the collected results and make an initial identification of problems and potentialities linked to the setting and living conditions. These observations offer the opportunity to form links with the population, to inform and to reinforce a climate of confidence and cooperation. In this "community survey" phase, the following information is collected:

· sources of income;

· production activities with particular reference to those in which women are most involved;

· development of information characterizing problems;

· existing natural and human potential;

· natural resources exploited;

· sub-interest groups in the population;

· increasing information on the central issue of the study, in this case the exploitation and transformation of forest products.

Women-specific information is obtained at the time of the community survey concerning two issues in particular: women's productive activities and household income components. The tool used is the composite seasonal calendar that permits easy and immediate analysis of:

· women's activities in each season;

· household income components and their annual division;

· relationship between activities and annual division of income.

The results obtained using this tool are the following:

· knowledge of the importance and diversity of women's activities/tasks;

· assessment of the work force in relation to the period of the year;

· knowledge of the temporary division and articulation of activities;

· position of activities in relation to income;

· annual variations in the incomes of men and women.

Income composition is outlined by an SSI with 5 or 6 women representing sub-interest groups identified during the course of the community survey.

At the end of the phase, information is reviewed by the entire team and interpreted to:

· understand socio-economic structures and identify interest groups among women (or categories in an interest group);

· prepare an inventory of community agricultural and extra-agricultural activities and assess their socio-economic importance;

· understand the logic of the use of productive, human and financial resources, and methods of access and management;

· proceed to an initial identification of constraints and factors limiting the development of productive activities, and identify potentialities and possibilities for improvement;

· extract significant key information about problems but also about opportunities and motivations of change.

Participatory data analysis

This phase leads to diagnosis of people's perception of the situation. It is conducted with women, then with men.

With women

Starting with the presentation of key information (existing productive activities, current income sources, tasks), the women discuss and identify those activities they wish to develop themselves or to which they wish to contribute. These activities are classified in order of importance using a paired matrix of priorities. The activity with the highest score is considered the priority for development identified by the group.

Once the order of priorities has been established, reflection is increased with the help of a pre-feasibility analysis chart of activities. Ecological feasibility (availability of resources) is studied as well as technical and human feasibility (capacity of financial investment, work, labour, competence, etc.) and social feasibility (the needs of implementation, organization, decision-making, etc.) For each activity, the following aspects are discussed:

· motivations cross-referenced with the criteria of the selection of priorities;

· resources available;

· means/resources mobilized by women: potentialities, willingness to contribute, participation in activities;

· constraints/obstacles;

· support needs identified by women.

With men

The process is practically the same but the tools used are different. One aspect of discussion merits particular attention, namely comparison of the remarks and proposals of men with those expressed by women. The objective is to highlight the similarities, complementarities and differences, but also to sensitize men to the analytical capacity demonstrated by women.

The activities that men think can be carried out by women are discussed, listed and classified with the help of the matrix of priorities. Analysis of the problems that could obstruct their implementation are inserted in an activity-problem matrix. Activities, entered line by line, are compared with problem categories, entered in columns. In this way, the precise nature of the problem can be identified for each option. Subsequently, a summary problem-solution chart is prepared with two columns: on one side the problem, on the other alongside the possible solutions.

Synthetic feedback and ratification of activities and measures

Before this phase, the data are synthesized from three points of view:

· aspects of the central development problematic in the zone;

· the main problems identified by women and by men;

· activities and support desired by women and by men.

On this basis, complementary proposals necessary for the introduction of activities not mentioned by the population are put forward. They are based on suggestions and problems raised by contributors in the zone and on activities under way or envisaged in the zone. The proposals have generally called for accompanying or organizational measures. To visualize the synthesis of all this data, three charts are designed:

· one presenting the key data;

· one presenting the main problems;

· one presenting proposals for activities and measures (the proposals of men and women are indicated in such a way as to be distinguishable from complementary proposals).

In the first instance, feedback is conducted with women, then with men. Feedback meetings encourage women to recognize and ratify the problems and potentialities they have identified. Certain aspects of understanding are dealt with and eventual modifications introduced. The course of the discussion focuses on the objective of the participatory survey: definition of a plan of action in favour of women.

The complementary proposals are presented by the contributors with proof of their consistency with the needs and solutions expressed by the population. Their social acceptability and feasibility are examined. Finally, consensus and ratification is sought for the plan of action (activities, measures) with the entire population and all actors.

Methodological summary

The methodology for a participatory approach aimed at development planning and programming is summarized in the table below. Each phase is indicated, specifying:

· the objective;

· the tools and instruments used (charts, conventional surveys, APRM tools, etc.);

· expected results.

Participatory analysis and diagnosis: methodology

Phases		Objectives	Tools	Results
1	Collection of secondary information: development administrations, authorities and bodies.	· Gathering of existing information on the douar(s),community(ies to prepare groundwork; · Inform contributors.	· Meetings with SSIs at the level of local and regional development services and with local authorities.	· Documentary base; · Information from institutional and non-institutional sources.
2	Sensitizing and informing the population and other actors concerned.	· Information and sensitization on the objectives of the study, participatory approach and phases of work; · Ensure participation of everyone, including women.	· Information charts; · White boards, pens, etc.	· Calendar of established work; · Modalities for the participation of actors, among whom women.
3	Participatory collection of data	· Collect information to diagnose the situation with men and women; · - identify interest groups and sub-groups, above all among women.	· Community surveys; · Specific SSIs; · Composite calendar; · Direct observation.	· Completed survey cards; · Observation; · Completed diagrams; · Identified groups.
4	Synthesis and use of data collected.	· Make the most of data; · Identify information to transmit to women; · Discover problems, potentialities and solutions.	· Diagrams; · Completed survey cards; · Observation; · SSI notes.	· Summary of information to share with the population.
5	Participatory analysis with women.	· Analyze with women their aspirations in terms of developing productive activities; · Identify problems, potentialities and need for support; · Get to know the perception of men on the same issues.	· Information summaries; · Matrix of priorities (W); · Pre-feasibility analysis chart; · Matrix of activities, problems (M); · Chart of problems, solutions (M).	· Order of priority for activities; · Analysis of constraints; · List of potentialities; · Identification of support; · Taking men's perceptions into account.
6	Analysis of people's perceptions and identification of complementary proposals.	· Prepare the feedback and ratification phase with the population: men and women.	· All the results obtained during the course of the preceding phases.	· - Chart of relevant data; · - List of main problems; · - Summary of proposals.
7	Feedback to the population (M/W) on the synthesis in relation to the problematic and possibilities of development in the zone.	· Complete population information; discuss the acceptability of complementary proposals; · Identify supplementary measures expressed by the population; · Discuss and ratify the activities decided on.	· Chart of relevant data; · List of main problems; · Summary of proposals.	· - Plan of action; · - Consensus on implementable activities and complementary proposals.

7 The community is defined as the sum of households and individuals linked socially, with common interests and who exploit resources together