2.1 Research plan
2.2 Field methodology
2.3 Household survey
2.4 Guided survey of saw mills
2.5 Guided survey of industries
2.6 Guided survey of fuelwood depots
2.7 Guided survey of supply systems and operations
2.8 Guided survey of the delivery mechanism
2.9 Key informant and group discussions
2.10 Participatory rapid appraisal/observations
2.11 Data processing
The study presented in this report was started in October 1996 and completed in July 1997. Two geographical areas, namely the Kandy urban area, and Kundasale area, were covered. The study was conducted in 4 phases.
1. Phase 1. October - November 1996 (2 months)
Preparatory phase - Preparation for the field survey and collection of secondary materials were the main tasks. The activities accomplished during phase 1 include research team selection and training; literature survey and collection of secondary data; reconnaissance survey of the Kundasale area to select villages, likely key informants and groups, and to identify industrial uses; selection of households for the follow-up survey (15 households each were randomly selected from the 7 villages). In addition, out of the 4 types of major wood energy based industries located in the area, small-scale pottery industries, lime kilns, brick kilns, and bakery industries were selected for the detailed investigation.
The next main task accomplished in phase 1 was the designing of the research methodology, primarily preparing questionnaires for the households, industrial sector, saw mills, urban wood depots and transporters. These were pre-tested and modified where necessary prior to their adoption. Once the tools and techniques for the survey were prepared the field research was conducted.
2. Phase 2. (December - April - 6 months)
Field investigations - The activities accomplished during this phase include:
i. Household questionnaire survey;
ii. Participatory Rapid Appraisal;
iii Key informant discussions and group discussions (men's and women's groups);
iv. Participatory observation/investigation
Weekly meetings were held with the research team to examine progress and suggest further improvements.
The details of the tools and techniques are given in Table 6.
3. Phase 3. (May - Mid-June -1 and 1/2 months)
Data tabulation and information consolidation - The relevant information/data gathered using various tools and techniques were tabulated and summarised to present in the report.
4. Phase 4. (Mid-June - July 1 and 1/2 months)
Report writing and submission to RWEDP for comments.
As a result of broadening this study to cover flow patterns/mechanisms in 3 spheres, namely the household or self-consumption sphere; the rural woodfuel based industrial sphere, and the urban commercial sphere, a complex research process had to be followed. Different questionnaires had to be prepared to guide researchers when dealing with various intermediaries. The questionnaire used in the household survey and pre-formatted guidelines are given in Annex 1-6. Annex 7 presents a list of the specific tasks performed by members of the research team.
TABLE 6: SUMMARY OF TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES USED IN THE SURVEY
|
Tool / technique |
Respondents / interviewees |
Location |
|
i. Questionnaire (pre-formatted) |
Household (male and female) |
Households (15 in each of 7 villages) |
|
ii. Key informant discussions |
Grama Niladari, forest officer and agriculture extension officers of the area. Woodfuel based industrialists, saw mills, transporters (large scale), woodfuel depots, contractors, dealers, retail deliverers, Plantation/large-scale producers, women and men. |
Location of the activity |
|
in. Group discussions |
Women's and men's groups, industrialists (lime kiln owners, brick makers) carters, a group consisting of plantation owners, contractor, dealer and a transporter - in Mawathagama. |
Location of the activity |
|
iv. Participatory observation/investigation |
Researchers with the intermediaries and at each juncture (during felling, harvesting, cross-cutting, trimming, portaging etc.) |
Location of the activity |
|
v. Rapid appraisal |
Team /individual visits to construct a broad picture |
Homegardens, depots, plantations, industries etc. |
The types of information gathered by the questionnaires are related to:
i. Household demography;
ii. Household/living structure, including kitchen unit;
iii. Household owned fuelwood producing sources, income sources;
iv. Household energy use patterns and patterns in gender engagement;
v. Composition of cooking energy;
vi. Woodfuel flow for self-consumption and gender patterns involved;
vii. Features related to fuelwood sale by households;
viii. Species used and priority types;
ix. Gender in wood energy related activities by sources.
Type of information gathered:
i. Involvement in supplying woodfuel;
ii. Price;
iii. Trade pattern by users;
iv. Sources of supply;
v. Type of woodfuel supplied;
vi. Benefits.
Information was gathered on the nature of operations/industries, woodfuel use, type of woodfuel use, price paid for a unit, engagement in the supply sources by gender, and preferred or specific types of fuelwood needed for the industry.
A series of open ended questionnaires were used to get information on 3 aspects of the wood depots operations namely, receiving mechanisms, fuelwood depot centred activities and delivery mechanisms. The engagement patterns/and activities by gender, pricing systems and the intermediaries involved in the process were examined.
The urban woodfuel flow mechanism is interregional and supply sources are scattered. As a result, unlike in the rural situation where a series of activities takes place in a narrow space and geographical area, it was difficult to construct a comprehensive picture without visiting the producers/contractors during the operations.
Questionnaires were prepared to guide the collection of information on the intermediaries on harvesting operations, on site activities and on gender engagement and the type of transport arrangement with the pricing system.
The delivery mechanism can be divided into two segments. The first is the delivery of billeted fuelwood from supply sources to the depots where large-scale operations take place. The second is the delivery of processed fuelwood from depots to the users.
This part of the survey was designed to collect information about the wholesale mechanisms and the retail trade mechanisms. The information was gathered regarding gender and price changes in the flow and to identify the returns received by intermediaries.
A large number of key informants were consulted to identify the location of industries and flow mechanisms. The individual intermediaries who have been engaged in the process, and the experienced local people in the rural area were consulted to broaden our understanding and to strengthen the information gathered from the survey. Gender specific patterns in all the activities carried out at production sites were determined and compared with the information gathered by the survey.
Group discussions were also conducted with individuals who had knowledge and experience in specific areas of the woodfuel flow. Gender engagement, pricing system and also the reasons for women's insignificant involvement in the commercial or trade were opened up for discussion. These discussions enabled the researchers to triangulate the data gathered.
This was the process adopted to gather general information related to the physical features of the area, livelihood patterns, location of fuelwood supply sources, large scale consumers, land use and types of fuelwood production system, species composition, coping strategies of the people regarding wood energy security, infrastructural services, mainly regarding the woodfuel selling points, processing, woodfuel use patterns, level of women's and men's engagement etc.
Some of the data were tabulated manually because it was decided that information from all 7 villages should be tabulated in the field by the team members to avoid delays. To ensure consistency, formats for entering data were prepared in advance using the questionnaires as a guideline. Summaries and cross tabulations were also done manually for each village for inclusion in the report.
Information on species composition of the homegardens belonging to the households covered in the survey was tabulated by computer using the Lotus database management program. Prices were calculated in the field together with the intermediaries using hand calculators and price data were taken back to the respective intermediaries for confirmation.
