SIERRA LEONE maq 4ª.indd - agrilife - Europa

5 Survey Methodology
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area with respect to previous year, Type of
agricultural practices undertaken (yes – no:
use of manure, soil cover, crop rotation,
intercropping, fallowing, etc.), quality and
availability of seeds, use of storage facilities
(percentage of output stored and for how
long), Externalities (plant disease or rain
variations), Infrastructure (distance between
plots, quality of roads, market access and
project office, etc.).
The second questionnaire (B) collected farm
input/output data including monetary terms when
possible. This questionnaire was designed in two
segments: Farm Expenditure and Yield Losses:
1. Farm Expenditure: Household and Hired
Labour inputs per activity, Tools used and
time in which these were acquired, Type of
seeds (including number of seedlings and
cuttings), Livestock (percentage consumed
and percentage sold).
2. Yield Losses: Percentage of output loss per
type of crop pre and post-harvest, List of
main causes for output loss
In order to improve the accuracy of the
data multiple visit method was used based on
the collection of periodical data. The data was
collected in three stages (one visit per month)
in order to coincide with the farm production
calendar. Part I of Questionnaire B on farm input
data was administered in August and September
2009, and Part II of Questionnaire B on output
data, started in November 2009 (since the
main harvesting season is between August and
October). The multiple visit interview schedule
adopted in this study is expected to improve the
reliability of the information provided by the
respondents. Here, due to the high illiteracy rate
and the culture of not keeping farm records, the
assumption being made is that the shorter the
memory recall period the higher the accuracy of
the information provided. Interviews were held
with household heads in their respective villages
at times convenient to the respondents, usually in
the morning or evening hours. The approximate
duration of interviews per questionnaire was
around 1 hour.
5.2 Data Analysis and Presentation of
Results
The survey data has been processed so that
both qualitative and quantitative analyses may be
carried out. The results obtained from the survey
(which are discussed in the following Section 6)
provide information on: (i) characteristics of farm
households in terms of demographic structure,
educational attainment, assets and resources
(6.1), (ii) quantitative data on farm household
economic performance, viability and input factor
productivity (6.2 and 6.3) and (iii) a qualitative
assessment of smallholders concerning the
support they received under the two STABEX
funded aid programmes (6.4). In the current
sub-section, the approaches and computations
undertaken to evaluate smallholders’
performance are explained. In other words, the
rationale used to guide the calculation methods
for farm income, reproduction threshold and
poverty level for the rural farm households of the
Sierra Leone survey is thoroughly addressed.
To examine issues of farm viability and
productivity the general guidelines presented
under the Agrarian System Diagnosis (ASD)
methodology (FAO 1999) were revised and
adapted to the Sierra Leone survey at hand. 30
This method refers to the concept of agrarian
systems defined as “a mode of exploiting the
environment that is historically established and
durable, a system of production forces adapted
to the bio-climatic conditions of a given space
and responding to the existing social needs”
(Mazoyer, 1981). Several production systems
together and the interactions between them make
30 On theoretical and empirical studies related to the
Agrarian System Diagnosis methodology cf., among others,
Mazoyer, 1981, Dufumier, 1996, FAO, 1999, Mazoyer
2001, Mazoyer and Roudart, 2006, Gomez y Paloma et al.,
2006, Moreau et al., 2011, Canali & Slaviero, 2010.