6. Training module on partnership building

What is partnership?

Partnerships are intended for joint solving of problems, resource exchange, cooperation, coordination and coalition building. The relationship among partners can be temporary (local bodies, including government, grassroots NGO’s) or permanent.

A partnership brings together institutional capabilities and human resources in the form of skills, experiences and ideas to tackle common problems that are often beyond the capacity of a single organization or group. Examples: (i) government agency like the Ministry of Education accepting the ‘help’ of a local NGO and local elected body to enhance literacy in a village; (ii) a local community-based organization (CBO) jointly with local industry associations and elected members of local council, discuss the problem of land degradation caused by industrial activities and agree on the implementation of a joint activity to address the problem.

Types of partnership

Networks: The relationships among partners within networks are often less formal or informal. The main purpose of most networks is to exchange information among members [e.g. Voluntary Action Network India (VANI), a network of voluntary agencies, NGOs, CBOs] and to share experiences in their local activities.

Coordination: Relations among members are more closely linked. Definition of specific tasks among organizations, which require resources (for representation, management, fulfillment of specific tasks) beyond information sharing.

Collaboration: Relations among members are strong with functional more broad ranging areas defined for joint activities. (e.g. Network of Collaborating Regional Support Organizations - India).

Principles of partnership

Trust

Trust is the most important if the partnership crosses many boundaries - interpersonal, inter-institutional, cross cultural - at the same time. In such conditions, relationships are open to risk of misunderstanding and there is need for a clear expression of interest and aspiration on both sides.

Transparency among partners is the basis for a solid and honest relationship. A relationship that involves the transfer of resources (e.g. from a government department to local bodies or from a government department to NGOs or from a donor to NGOs/local bodies, etc.) requires that strict business principles be followed, such as reporting, accountability and good stewardship. Yet, in most cases we have to depend on a relationship based on trust rather than legal conditions and threats of punitive action.

Mutuality

In this case, the partnership relations are open to dialogue and exchange of views. Respect is of utmost importance.

Solidarity

Solidarity means sensitivity and commitment to the problems, efforts and constraints of other partners particularly of those living in conditions of poverty and oppression. It implies a readiness to respond appropriately and in a timely manner to varied needs. If partners (even just one of the partners) are only 'doing' for the poor without 'commitment', it will be difficult to attack the roots of the real problems. Solidarity is not just a catch word; it means response to real needs and constraints based upon respect and equality in the partner relationships.

Accountability

Any partnership involves rights and obligations. It is a major challenge when one partner has the resources and the other has to ask for it, or one has the power to decide who gets funds and how much, and the other is accountable for their use. There is no fully satisfactory answer to this dilemma. That fact, however, does not make partnership a less desirable ideal. It is an ideal worthy of much effort.

Requirements of effective partnership

• Government must be open, receptive, sensitive, responsive and must internalize, accept and institutionalize partnership at appropriate levels;

• Local people, particularly the rural poor must develop skills in negotiation and claim-making to effectively engage the government in participatory local development planning and partnership- building; and

• NGOs must be open to collaboration with the government, share risks and be creative.

Governments in many Asian countries have launched a massive programme of decentralization and have empowered their community institutions through local democracy. Many governments and NGOs are extending support to make this programme a success. Yet, NGOs are often skeptical of the role of local bodies in rural development.

There is also a ce/rtain amount of tension in the relationship between grassroots voluntary organizations and public agencies, despite some common interests. Both believe in decentralization and the great potential of civic action at the grassroots level. Yet, the cooperative relationship, which ought to exist between elected local bodies and the NGOs, is often lacking. Similarly, cooperation between government staff and the members of local elected bodies is missing.

Sources of conflicts in a partnership

• Value disagreements.

• Personality conflicts.

• Communication misunderstandings.

• Doubts about priority need for partnership.

• Confusion over differing degrees of members' autonomy.

• Different power interests.

Exercise on collecting data on sources of conflict in a partnership. (Format to be used)

How to address/reduce partnership conflicts

Conflict management in partnerships should focus on encouraging open communication and ways of negotiating expressed differences to meet at least some of the needs of all partners.

1. Choose a person who is seen as being neutral to serve as a process observer. The role of this observer can vary from keeping time, offering clarification or remarks, to suggesting possible ways of managing or resolving the conflict. It is important, however, that all partners agree upon the process observer’s role.

2. Select a specific conflict that is important to the partnership and the partners concerned.

3. Have the conflicting partners state their positions without interruption.

4. Have each opposing partner paraphrase the other side's explanations or point of view. This effort to understand more clearly and fully each other’s position often results in useful conflict management. However, more work may be needed.

5. Start an open dialogue for questioning, obtaining more information and further explanation. This helps ensure that each side understands the other. As the dialogue continues, it is necessary to move beyond explanations. This would require two interacting skills - both parties should behave assertively and cooperatively.

6. Summarize the position of each party, emphasizing their major points of view. Provide an opportunity to each party to correct misinformation or clarify points.

Future perspectives

A community meeting on future perspectives in local development planning is a way to create a shared vision for partnership building. It enrols those stakeholders, who have the power of information on the topics at hand and those who are affected by the outcomes.

For this exercise, 64 people are involved in local networking. Form eight tables of eight stakeholder groups. Examples of such groups are young people, local authorities, local bodies, etc. They take part in a highly structured two-and-a half day process covering five stages:

Features to empower participants

1. Principle that people are experts in their own lives. There are facilitators, but no other experts.
2. Emphasis on self-management in small group work.
3. Openness - everything is written on flip charts and displayed.

A future perspectives exercise is worth considering when:

• there are influential people within the sponsoring body (e.g. a local authority) who are prepared to support the idea strongly;

• there is (or can be) a group of local people representing the entire community;

• there is plenty of time to prepare for the event, especially to recruit people;

• there are people with time for recruiting; and

• there is a venue available with natural light, plenty of wall space and good acoustics.

Resources

People: At least one facilitator and a committed partnership group to plan and invite people.
Venue: A room large enough for 64 people to be seated in separate groups of eight and plenty of space for display.

Source: Participation works - 21 techniques of community participation for the 21^st century, New Economics Foundation, London.

Joint management of sectoral programmes

A partnership between the state and civil society for the management and delivery of social and productive services to local population, particularly rural poor, is an ideal form of responsive networking by the government, with the boundaries between the citizens and the state blurred and citizens themselves making decisions.

Reasons for joint partnership in management of sectoral programs:

• where resources (staff and money) are limited;

• where client communities are geographically distant;

• where the state’s role in managing common property resources is fundamentally disputed; and

• where certain social groups have historically rejected the state's authority, making it practically and politically expedient to cede aspects of service delivery to the community.

Case studies

Forest protection committees (FPC), West Bengal, India

There are local partnerships between forest dwellers and frontline forest officials for implementing the joint forestry management (JFM) programme in West Bengal State. This programme aims to end the adversarial relationship between forestry workers and villagers living on the forest fringe who were blamed for forest degradation. In some instances, conflicts led to violent assaults on forestry workers.

The FPCs engage local residents in the regeneration, protection, and maintenance of forests and plantation, and to keep encroachers out. In exchange, each FPC is entitled to 25 percent of the net income form timber sales and certain categories of forest produce.

However, JFM has not met with success elsewhere in India where service providers from the bottom to the top of the forest department have been reluctant to cede management responsibilities and rights of forest produce to the local people.

In this successful west Bengal case, frontline workers were responsible for pushing the forest administration for full implementation of JFM. Indeed, they mobilized client communities to seek more participation and rights to forest produce. They did so because of a collective interest - expressed through their union - in ending the violence and intimidation they faced from villagers and in improving their working conditions.

Watershed management, India

According to Government of India guidelines issued in 1994, local level watershed management in rainfed areas is to be subject to community control. The guidelines list progressive arrangements to ensure community mobilization and autonomous planning and management of rainwater conservation constructions.

All community residents in the watershed area are members of a watershed association, which appoints a committee with representatives of user groups, a local community-based organization, and the Gram Panchayat. This committee conveys local needs to the Project Implementation Agency (PIA), which can be a government agency or an NGO appointed by the District Rural Development Agency. The PIA can seek the committee's help in mobilizing community funding or labour to implement or manage watershed control facilities.

There are very few cases of full or successful implementation of these guidelines and the rare successes depend on proactive NGOs or community groups putting pressure on authorities for proper implementation. Otherwise, watershed committees and user groups are simply set up by authorities to meet targets. Success also depends on the capacity of the civil society partner to generate substantial funds to compensate for resource scarcities in the administration with just 50 percent of PIA staff costs being covered by the government.

Education guarantee scheme (EGS), Madhya Pradesh, India

Set up in 1997 by the Madhya Pradesh State Government, this is a rights-based initiative to universalize primary education under which the state government has guaranteed establishment of a school within 90 days of its demand by a community, which lacks easy access to a school.

The community has to show that it has 40 learners (25 in the case of tribal communities). The district provides the teacher, training and basic learning materials, while the community provides the land for the school and the Gram Panchayat appoints the teacher. Communities are encouraged to suggest a suitable local resident as the teacher to avoid teacher absenteeism.

The community supervises the functioning of the school and the maintenance of its physical facilities. Community involvement is encouraged by the threat of withdrawal of funding if dropout rates are high. Over 15 500 EGS schools were established in the first year of the scheme.

Source: Bringing citizens' voice and client focus into service delivery. Anne Marie Goetz and John Goventa, Working paper no. 138, Institute of Development Studies (IDS) 2001.

Contributed by Chandan Datta, PRIA, New Delhi.

7. Training module on conflict management

Definition of conflict management

Differences are inevitable in a local group having members with different experiences, attitudes and expectations. However, some conflicts can support organizational goals. Indeed, too little conflict may lead to apathy, lack of creativity, indecision and missed-out deadlines. Clashes of ideas about tasks also help in choosing better tasks and projects. These are 'functional conflicts'.

Functional conflicts can emerge from leaving a selected incidence of conflict to persist, which can be overcome by 'programming' a conflict in the decision-making process by the group by assigning someone the role of a critic. This also helps to avoid 'group thinking' where group members publicly agree with a course of action, while privately having serious reservations about it.

The most difficult conflicts are those arising out of value differences. The most important thing is to understand the real cause of the differences. Yet every resolution of a conflict can also feed a new conflict in a group. It is, therefore, useful to see conflicts as a series of expressions of existing differences within a group, having some links to each other. How effectively a group deals with conflict management largely affects the efficiency level of its functioning.

Common ways of dealing with conflicts within a group

1. Avoiding - withdraw from the conflict situation, leaving it to chance.
2. Harmonizing - generally cover up the differences and claim that things are fine.
3. Bargaining - negotiate to arrive at a compromise, bargaining for gains by both parties
4. Forcing - push a party to accept the decision made by a leader or majority.
5. Problem solving - confront differences and resolve them on a collaborative basis.

Conflict-management styles

Managing conflict

• Allow time for cooling down.

• Analyse the situation.

• State the problem to the other person.

• Leave the person for some time.

• Use a win-win approach.

Factors affecting conflict

• Personality traits affect how people handle conflict.

• Threats from one party in a disagreement tend to produce more threats from the other.

• Conflict decreases as goal difficulty decreases and goal clarity increases.

• Men and women tend to handle conflict similarly. There is no ‘gender effect’.

Matching conflict-management approaches with group level conditions

Matching conflict management with process of goals-setting by the group

What to do when you are:

The lead person to present and clarify the background of the conflict

Problem identification

i) Clearly explain your problem in terms of behaviour, consequences, and feelings.

• Maintain personal ownership of the problem.

• Use a specific incident to illustrate the expectations or standards violated.

• Stick to the facts, avoid drawing evaluative conclusions and attributing motives to the respondent.

ii) Persist until understood and encourage two-way discussion.

• Restate your concerns or give additional examples.

• Avoid introducing additional issues or letting your frustration and emotions grow.

• Invite the respondent to ask questions and express another perspective.

iii) Manage the agenda carefully.

• Approach multiple problems, proceeding from simple to complex, easy to difficult, concrete to abstract.

• Conversely, don't become fixed up on one issue. If you reach an impasse, expand the discussion to increase the likelihood of an integrative outcome.

Solution

Make a request. Focus on things you share in common (principles, goals and constraints) as the basis for recommending preferred alternatives.

A chairperson in the group conflict management

Problem identification

i) Establish a climate for joint problem solving

• Show genuine concern and interest. Respond empathetically, even if you disagree with the complaint

• Respond appropriately to the lead person’s emotions.

ii) Seek additional information about the problem

• Ask questions that channel the lead person’s statement from general to specific and from evaluative to descriptive.

iii) Agree with some aspects of the complaint(s)

• Signal your willingness to consider making changes by agreeing with facts, perceptions, feelings or principles.

Solution

Ask for recommendations - to avoid debating the merits of a single suggestion, brainstorm and seek multiple alternatives.

A mediator for managing conflict

Problem identification

i) Acknowledge that a conflict exists

• Select the most appropriate setting (one-on-one conference vs. group meeting) for coaching and fact-finding.

• Propose a problem-solving approach for resolving the dispute.

ii) Maintain a neutral posture

• Assume role of a facilitator and not judge. Do not belittle the problem or criticize the disputants for their inability to resolve their differences.

• Be impartial towards the disputants and the issues (as long as policy has not been violated).

• If correction is necessary, do it in private.

iii) Manage the discussion to ensure fairness

• Focus discussion on the conflict's impact on performance and the detrimental effect of a continued conflict.

• Keep the discussion issue-oriented, not personality-oriented.

• Do not allow one party to dominate the discussion. Ask directed questions to maintain balance.

Solution

Explore options by focusing on interests behind stated positions

• Explore the 'why' behind the disputants' arguments/claims.

• Help disputants see what is common among their goals, values and principles.

• Use this to generate multiple alternatives.

• Maintain a non-judgmental manner.

Comparison of conflict-handling styles

Training module on conflict management

Contents, objectives and methodology on partnership and conflict management

Source: Conservation Extension Manual for Mid-Level Technicians, Local Development Training Academy, Kathmandu, Nepal. pp.113-119.

Contributed by C. S. Singhal, Associate Professor, Centre for Behavioural and Organisational Development, National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad, India.

8. Training module on planning for disaster preparedness and mitigation

Definition of disaster

A disaster is any event, natural or man made, which threatens human lives, damages private and public property and infrastructure, and disrupts social and economic life.

Classification of disasters

Disasters can be classified by nature, timing, predictability, response time and type of impact.

Disasters according to timing and predictability

Disasters according to response time

Disasters according to impact

Impact of disasters on different sections of rural people

Natural disasters in India

Disaster management

Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but their impact on people's lives can be reduced to a considerable extent. Disaster management covers all aspects of preventive and protective measures, preparedness, rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations. It has three phases:

1. Impact phase: This has three stages.

Pre-impact/response

• Forecast

• Early warning

• Preparedness

• Tracking/monitoring approach of disaster

• Alertness/evacuation.

Impact

• Close monitoring of impact; establishing emergency communication; deploying rescue teams; medical support and other life-saving activities. Supply/air dropping of food, drinking water and essential items.

Post-impact

• Medical care

• Food, clothing and shelter for rescued people

• Estimating loss of life and property

• Disposal of bodies/animal carcasses, prevention of epidemics

• Repair and restoration of essential services/infrastructure.

2. Relief and rehabilitation phase

• Temporary shelter/drinking water/food/clothing/minimum household utility goods for victims

• Repair of roads, electricity and communication networks

• Salvaging damage to agriculture/distribution of seeds, fertilizer, etc.

• Restoration of health/educational facilities or temporary alternative arrangements

• Distribution of ex-gratia relief for those killed and compensation for the losses

• Building durable houses for victims.

3. Long-term mitigation and preparedness phase

This is a crucial period and devoted to long-term development of disaster prone areas to minimize the impact of the hazard and prepare the people as well as all supporting systems in the area to face future disasters.

Long-term planning for preventive measures

• Soil conservation/afforestation in river catchments

• Planting shelter belts/mangroves in coastal areas

• New cropping patterns to minimize crop loss

• Prevent human settlements in low-lying areas, relocate settlements to safer places.

Long-term protective measures

• Safe construction for houses/strict implementation of safety codes

• Hazard-proof roads, bridges, canals, water reservoirs, power transmission lines, etc.

• Flood-protection measures

• Improvement of warning systems

• Organizing people for counter-disaster activities.

Role of Panchayati Raj bodies in local disaster management

While the government has the duty to help people in distress, the latter have a greater responsibility to help the government help them to cope with disasters. Panchayati Raj bodies are the most appropriate local institutions for involving people in natural disaster preparedness. Panchayati Raj bodies have a role to play in all phases of disaster management.

Panchayat role during first phase of natural disaster management

Gram Panchayat or village level

• Convene meetings to ensure timely warning

• Update information on civic amenities/population, etc.

• Select safe locations for people and livestock

• Arrangements to evacuate the elderly, the disabled, children and women

• Medical and sanitation facilities at relief camps

• Disconnecting power lines during high winds/gales; storing foodgrain, drinking water, etc.

Block/Mandal Panchayat

• Supervise preparedness of Gram Panchayats (GP)

• Consolidate village-level information on items listed under GP

• Assessing preparedness of: primary health centres/evacuation arrangements, etc.

• Engineering staff at the Block/Mandal level should repair drainage/canal/roads, etc.

• Contact ex-army/security forces personal/volunteers to organize task force for assistance

• Procure and keep ready rescue material, including boats

• Function as link between district and village-level counter-disaster activities.

Zilla Panchayat or district level

• The District Collector/CEO should convene a meeting of all District Heads of sectoral departments and ZP members before the start of likely cyclone periods (May to June & Oct. to Nov.)

• All concerned departments to take up necessary repair and maintenance and related works for preparedness

• Organize ‘Task Forces’ at district, block and village levels

• Identify NGOs useful in providing assistance during disasters

• Check inventories of items required at short notice for rescue and relief operations

• At first warning, call meeting of Crisis Management Group (CMG) and alert blocks/villages

• All CMG members should be asked to keep their personnel in full preparedness

• District Collector should be CMG Leader and establish a control room managed by senior officers round the clock during the crisis.

Panchayat role in rescue and relief before and during natural disaster impact

Gram Panchayat or village level

• Set up temporary shelters/relief camps after initial warning/store food and water for people/livestock

• Evacuation of people and livestock should start immediately after final warning

• Keep rescue volunteers and task forces ready

• District/block medical/relief teams may be asked take position at strategic points and coordinate with village volunteers/task forces

• Organize veterinary aid teams for taking care of livestock and removal of carcasses

• Disposal of dead bodies and measures to prevent likely epidemics

• Assessing loss of life, livestock and damage to farming, property, etc.

Block/Mandal Panchayat

• Identify vulnerable areas and send task forces/volunteers to supervise safety measures

• Evacuate people from these areas and help GPs in organizing relief camps

• Arrange for emergency communication through police wireless/ham radio, etc.

• Arrange supply of food and other items to relief camps in adequate quantities

• Supervise rescue and relief activities with district-level officers

• Inform CMG in case help needed from police and defence forces

• Assist armed forces in rescue and relief operations

• Supervise rescue and relief and coordinate with various agencies including NGOs.

Zilla Panchayat or district level

• Monitor situation, identify blocks and villages most likely to be affected and issue warnings

• Activate control room and keep a full watch on the situation

• Arrange emergency communication with the help of police wireless/ham radio, etc.

• Put CMG on the job of assisting block and village Panchayats with counter-disaster steps

• Arrange transport for evacuation of people and livestock

• Arrange for temporary shelters/relief camps

• Seek assistance of the armed forces if necessary

• Monitor rescue and relief operations at village and block levels

• Assist lower panchayats in mobilizing task forces/volunteers/NGOs for rescue and relief.

Panchayat role in reconstruction and long-term mitigation planning

Gram Panchayat or village level

• Assist in identifying victims for compensation, and then in its distribution

• Formulate reconstruction plans for houses, community buildings, roads, etc. within GP jurisdiction with the assistance of technical departments at block and district levels

• Enforce minimum specifications for safe construction

• Help district and block level organizations in arranging awareness camps for management and mitigation of disasters and ensure participation of the villagers

• Organize village-level task force/volunteers and train them in counter-disaster measures

• Assist in supervising and monitoring reconstruction and development projects

• Encourage local people to insure assets/livestock, which should be mandatory for those who can afford. Seek government help for those who are too poor to afford insurance.

Block/Mandal Panchayat

• Assist in rehabilitation, repair and reconstruction

• Assist gram panchayats in identifying victims for payment of compensation and in its distribution

• Prepare village and block-level mitigation plans; consolidate/integrate these with the block plan

• Enforce minimum safety specifications for construction

• Assist in long-term mitigation planning and its integration with block/district development plans

• Supervise and monitor reconstruction and long-term mitigation projects implemented by GPs and Block Panchayats.

Zilla Panchayat or district level

• Planning and implementation of rehabilitation, repair and reconstruction

• Compensation for loss of life, property, etc.

• Hazard and vulnerability mapping

• Anti-disaster measures to be integrated in all development projects

• Special funding to use disaster-resistant construction technologies in vulnerable areas

• Supervision of all construction and developmental activities.

Contributed by B. K. Thapliyal, Prof. & Head, Centre for Disaster Management & Rural Reconstruction (CDM & RR), National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad, India.

9. Training module on participatory community monitoring and evaluation

Why participatory community monitoring and evaluation?

Participatory community monitoring and evaluation are extremely important for learning about the achievement/deviation from original concerns and problems faced by local development projects/programmes being implemented, so that corrective measures can be taken in time.

Evaluation is often carried out by donor agencies or policy makers and helps in assessing whether the project has brought benefits to those for whom it was intended. An evaluator is expected to examine:

- whether it was right to have invested resources in the project in the context of competing needs;
- whether the underlying assumptions and design were right;
- whether progress was made towards planning changes, and if not, why; and
- unplanned changes that may have occurred.

Monitoring ensures that i) inputs are ready in time; ii) works plans are followed closely; iii) adjustments can be made and corrective action taken as and when necessary; iv) people who need to know are kept informed; v) constraints and bottlenecks are found; and vi) resources are used efficiently.

Aim of participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME)

1. To assess information or generate data on development activities being carried out at the local community level.

2. To facilitate monitoring and evaluation by beneficiaries of different development activities.

3. To increase beneficiaries' commitment and understanding in designing, planning and implementing community-based development projects or programmes.

Participatory monitoring involves local beneficiaries in measuring, recording, collecting, processing and communicating information to assist local development project extension workers and local group members in decision-making.

Participatory evaluation assists in adjusting and redefining objectives, reorganizing institutional arrangements or re-allocating resources as necessary. Monitoring and evaluation system (MES) allows continuous surveillance in order to assess the local development project's impact on intended beneficiaries.

Involving local people in project evaluation is one of the learning objectives of participatory management. Apart from project's impact on the life of the people, it is also worthwhile to evaluate:

i) attitudinal changes in the local community about their role and sense of responsibility;
ii) if people have gained confidence in their ability to undertake new activities; and
iii) lessons about people's capacity, extent of participation and community responsibilities.

It provides an opportunity to the project implementation committee to assess deficiencies in the project design - if objectives and work plan were realistic, if local funding was adequate and whether project actually owned by the people. Answers to these questions indicate future precautions and modifications in the method and approach. This in itself is an achievement in capacity building at the local level.

Role of community extension workers

1. It is the responsibility of extension workers/community development motivators to make beneficiaries aware about the project/programmes and their objectives.

2. Extension workers should develop and help beneficiaries identify indicators and measurements for each project activity. Based on these, extension workers should collect data on inputs and outputs by using simple formats and tables.

3. Extension workers should process, organize and analyse the data for evaluation. For participatory evaluation, they should assist beneficiaries to understand the process, using simple procedures. After processing, organizing and analysing the data, extension workers must assess the impact of local development project activities.

Steps in participatory monitoring and evaluation

Step I

Goal - Sustainable increase in productivity of sub-watershed within local community

Objectives

• Soil conservation techniques adopted by 50 percent households.

• Rehabilitation of 40 percent of identified, critical soil erosion sites.

• Trees planted by users’ groups in 300 ha.

• Protection of 500 ha of forest by users' group.

• Increase in capability of 100 users’ groups to identify, plan and manage watersheds.

Step II

Activities

• Planting fodder, fuel wood trees, sowing grass, improved cropping.

• Check dams, landslide control, wall to protect riverbank.

• Establish nursery; seedling production; planting trees.

• Discussion on forest protection, handing over forest to community and prepare forest protection measures.

• Training for users’ groups, workshop/seminar, observation tour.

Step III

Assessment measures

• Percentage of farmers using soil conservation.

• Percentage of critical soil erosion sites rehabilitated.

• Area under forest plantation.

• Capability of users' groups to plan and manage conservation programmes.

Step IV

Developing measurement indicators

• Hold group discussions among farmers and share common experiences.

• Use brainstorming methods (list all possible ideas and select suitable ones).

• Develop indicators for each activity designed to achieve specific objective.

Step V

Identifying methods of collecting information

At community level

• Group discussion among people.

• Direct observation of site activities.

• Interviewing individuals.

Tools

• Resource map

• Pie chart

• Bar chart

• SSI (Semi-structured interview)

• Venn diagram and others

Remember to collect data in

• Simple form

• Local language

• Regular interval (monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly, etc.)

• Remember PRA guidelines

Step VI

Selecting formats/visual tools for presenting information

• Charts/graphs/diagrams.

• Visual presentation is easier for village people to understand.

Measurement indicators

Source: Conservation extension manual for mid-level technician/s, Local Development Training Academy, Kathmandu, Nepal.