Part 1 – A Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment - IUCN

IUCN Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment
(information obtained from villagers through a
socio-economic survey)
(D) Monitoring indicators for off-site biodiversity conservation initiatives
Indicators Monitoring technique
Status and production of home gardens
established
Measure the annual yield of useful plant products
from home gardens; Document the species
richness of plants in home garden plots;
Status of degraded forests restored Survival and growth of introduced seedlings; the
variety and yield of NTFP’s harvested from
restored forests; availability of water in annual
and perennial streams adjoining/below the
restored forests; occurrence of wildlife in restored
forests
5.3 Recommendations for further socio-economic analysis
Incorporation of in-depth socio-economic research and analysis into planning, implementation and
monitoring of development interventions is critical. Chamberlain, a local expert in poverty and
ethnicity, has recommended (pers. comm.) that survey-type work on ethnic minority groups should be
in-depth, rather than quick surveys. Participatory observation and research should be carried out in a
smaller number of villages, in order to understand the nuances of persistence and change in these
societies. Participatory processes associated with project decision-making should be couched in
recognition of cultural diversity, and should be conducted with high degree of transparency. This
includes budgeting for the time and resources to ensure that understanding is created, through
interactions in a number of local languages.
R5.3.1 - Commission in-depth anthropological work in a smaller number of villages in order to
better understand persistence and change in the livelihoods, cultural life and natural
resources management of these local societies. This information can be used to inform better
impact mitigation for the plantation project.
Without detailed ethnographic studies documenting the full range of socio-cultural and economic
systems of local ethnic groups, there is a need to move slowly. Monitoring of impacts on local
communities is difficult because there is no reliable baseline upon which changes can be understood
and assessed. Indicators of local development should reflect community well-being, and not just
income. For Mon-Khmer groups, well-being should include recognition of the natural-human-spiritual
relationships that define their world. One danger is that in the absence of nuanced information on
Mon-Khmer livelihoods the assumptions underpinning the Lao-Tai worldview are juxtaposed onto
other groups. Even within the Lao-Tai group, Phou Thay communities should be understood within
their own unique socio-cultural context. There is a tendency to lump all “Lao Loum” into the same
category and assume one set of static practices, knowledge and belief systems. Understanding the
upland-lowland relationship is another key element of assessing the potential impacts of a large-scale
project on this area.
R5.3.2 - The project should invest in establishing a baseline and monitoring approach that
allows disaggregated analysis for different ethnicities and within communities, so that social
and economic equity is achieved.
The baseline should include not only indicators of household-level economic situation but also
indicators of change in traditional livelihood systems, community cohesion, and cultural change. To
do this, the project should support in-depth anthropological studies of the communities involved in the
54