GTZ Project Document No. 51 Report on Nahi Baseline Survey

Nahi Baseline Survey April- May 2001as many tools as possible were used for data collection. The ranking techniques wereused for finding out the important farm families’ income sources and areas for expenses.The different labour requirement and household food consumption pattern on the farmwere found with the help of seasonal calendar.However, considering the nature and type of data required, most data were collected withthe use of semi-structured interview guided by a checklist. The checklists in the form ofquestionnaires have been prepared and used in-order to ensure that uniform data werecollected especially on those specified topics on all households (Annexure 1.6). Thisuniformity was necessary to meet the <strong>Project</strong>’s objective.For the secondary data/information already available literatures (past reports) and the2001 RNR Census records have been referred.1.5.1 Data AnalysisFor data compilation and analysis the Excel programme is used. The data analysis islimited to descriptive and tabulations using percentages and averages. The geog consistsof four main villages or chiwogs, with two villages each in upper and lower part of thevalley. For most analysis geog is analysed as a whole except in few aspects the geog isdivided into upper and lower valley.1.6 General Limitations to the studyIn general, the RRA survey methodology is more suitable to get first hand generalinformation of a farming system, place or activities carried out in an area. Therefore,when attempting to use RRA for a baseline survey. it was often found difficult tomaintain the RRA mood because of the nature of data required for the survey. Thus theneed to adjust the RRA programme inorder to reach a balance between the trainingcomponent and the socio-economic survey needs (keeping in view of the inexperiencedparticipants) was a challenging task.It is understandable that acceptance of a collaboration with other institutions requiresNRTI to fulfil some objectives of the collaborating partners. But at the same time RRA asa training programme also becomes essential and necessary to ensure that the trainingobjectives are not sacrificed, while trying to fulfil the research objectives/obligation. Thisdemands much attention and care (especially in a baseline survey like the present one) toensure that both the training and the research objectives are met without compromisingone for the other.The present socio-economic baseline survey has compelled the RRA team to adopt anduse more structured method of data collection in order to ensure a uniform data. On theother hand, adoption of more structured method often limits the use of RRA tools andthereby providing lesser opportunities and inadequate practice of RRA tools by thetrainees presenting more challenges to look for more innovation to suit the training andresearch need.3