Appendix 5: Methodology and Process

This mitigation framework has been developed through a participatory and highly consultative process involving HIV/AIDS service providers from the Ministry of Agriculture, cooperating government line ministries, Non-governmental Organisations and HIV/AIDS affected households in Choma district of southern province. The process started with a stakeholders’ workshop in Choma with the main objective of capturing the field experience of district service providers in mitigation interventions as input for the integrated framework contained in this report. The workshop discussed several potential HIV/AIDS mitigation measures and designed intervention modules as an output. The intervention modules that were developed focused on four key sub-sectors within the NACP and critically looked at the main challenges posed by HIV/AIDS on the agricultural sector. On the basis of the challenges identified in the sub-sectors, perceived solutions to the problems of HIV/AIDS were to i) promote low labour/capital/risk commercial agro businesses, ii) support orphans and vulnerable children, iii) promote labour saving practices, iv) enhance food security and nutrition among HIV/AIDS affected households and V) promote appropriate extension messages to vulnerable households. Consequently, the stakeholders’ workshop identified information gaps/data needs for which an Institutional Mapping exercise and a more in-depth participatory planning process were designed and conducted at district and community level respectively.

After the stakeholders’ workshop, a team of four socio-scientists conducted an institutional profiling/mapping exercise followed by a participatory planning exercise in four communities of Choma district, namely Mboole, Gamela, Siamaluba and Nakeempa. Key informants consisted of men, women and teachers groups in the respective communities; whereas respondents for household interviews were drawn from four household types specifically targeted as: -

• Female-headed households with kids/orphans (FHH + O) consisting of women currently keeping vulnerable children or orphans (below the age of 18 years) and widowed (single) or married but currently not living with their husbands.

• Male headed households with kids/orphans (MHH + O) consisting of men that are currently keeping vulnerable children or orphans below the age of 18 years and who are either widowers (single) or married but currently not living with their spouses

• Female headed households with people living with HIV/AIDS (FHH + PLWHA) consisting of female headed households in which at least one member of the household between 15 and 59 years is chronically ill.

• Male headed households with people living with HIV/AIDS (MHH + PLWHA) consisting of male headed households in which at least one member of the household between 15 and 59 years is chronically ill.