community action: framework for assessing feasibility and constraints across different systems

Community Action: Community Action: Framework for Assessing Feasibility and Framework for Assessing Feasibility and

Constraints Across Different SystemsConstraints Across Different Systems

Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Rowena Valmonte-SantosRowena Valmonte-Santos

INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

FrameworkFramework Stakeholder IdentificationStakeholder Identification Stakeholder AssessmentStakeholder Assessment

• Existing property rights claims over Existing property rights claims over land, water, fisheries resourcesland, water, fisheries resources

• Existing livelihood strategiesExisting livelihood strategies

• Objectives, attitudes/perceptions Objectives, attitudes/perceptions toward projecttoward project

Community-level relationsCommunity-level relations• Interactions within and outside the Interactions within and outside the

group/local organizationsgroup/local organizations

Stakeholder meetings, negotiations, Stakeholder meetings, negotiations, using WorldFish methodsusing WorldFish methods

Stakeholder IdentificationStakeholder Identification(from village reconnaissance)(from village reconnaissance) Resource users, e.g.Resource users, e.g.

• Owners/users of underlying landOwners/users of underlying land• FishersFishers• FarmersFarmers• Others?Others?

Authorities, e.g.Authorities, e.g.• Customary or traditional authorities who Customary or traditional authorities who

allocate resourcesallocate resources• Village councilsVillage councils

Others with livelihood stake, e.g.Others with livelihood stake, e.g.• FarmersFarmers• Fishers - fry breeders, fingerling growers, Fishers - fry breeders, fingerling growers,

traderstraders

Institutional StakeholdersInstitutional Stakeholders

Farmers’, fishers’ and other Farmers’, fishers’ and other associationsassociations

Government agencies for each Government agencies for each sector (agriculture, environment, sector (agriculture, environment, fisheries, etc.)fisheries, etc.)

Local governmentLocal government NGOs, other organizationsNGOs, other organizations

Stakeholder Assessment - Stakeholder Assessment - RightsRights (from focus group discussion, to (from focus group discussion, to be done separately for each type)be done separately for each type)

What rights do each claim over resources What rights do each claim over resources (including land, water, fish, other aquatic resources)(including land, water, fish, other aquatic resources)• Rights of access, use, exclusion, management, Rights of access, use, exclusion, management,

alienation, earn incomealienation, earn income• Vary by season? (irrigation systems, seasonally Vary by season? (irrigation systems, seasonally

flooded)flooded)• On what basis are claims? (e.g. government or On what basis are claims? (e.g. government or

customary law, investment, inheritance, permit)customary law, investment, inheritance, permit)• What conditionalities? What conditionalities? • With whom must one negotiate for permission?With whom must one negotiate for permission?

Likely to be overlapping Likely to be overlapping (e.g. village authorities (e.g. village authorities claim rights to allocate, farmers to grow crop, others to claim rights to allocate, farmers to grow crop, others to graze on fallow, others to fish in floods)graze on fallow, others to fish in floods)

Ask about “who can”, etc., not using Ask about “who can”, etc., not using confrontational “rights” languageconfrontational “rights” language

Stakeholder AssessmentStakeholder Assessment

Sources of food, income, livelihoodsSources of food, income, livelihoods

Major assetsMajor assets

Differences by gender, generationDifferences by gender, generation

Networks within group and to other Networks within group and to other groups (e.g. patron-client links, work groups (e.g. patron-client links, work with NGOs)with NGOs)

Standing in communityStanding in community

Ability to speak out on their interestsAbility to speak out on their interests

Attitudes toward fishing and farmingAttitudes toward fishing and farming

Community-level relationsCommunity-level relations(key informant interviews)(key informant interviews)

Sketch map of village resourcesSketch map of village resources History of major conflicts within History of major conflicts within

communitycommunity Power relations in village (who are Power relations in village (who are

the gatekeepers)the gatekeepers) History of working with projectsHistory of working with projects Distance to markets, experience Distance to markets, experience

with fishing, fish marketing, with fishing, fish marketing, marketing channelsmarketing channels

Possible Method: Power Game or Possible Method: Power Game or Visualizing Property Rights Claim Visualizing Property Rights Claim Game Game

Visualization tool to identify how different Visualization tool to identify how different

groups understand the relations between groups understand the relations between

groupsgroups

Eva Schiffer – power game for wildlife in Eva Schiffer – power game for wildlife in

Namibia; water governance in GhanaNamibia; water governance in Ghana

Somewhat richer than “chapatti diagrams” Somewhat richer than “chapatti diagrams”

often used in PRAoften used in PRA

Enhanced Venn DiagramEnhanced Venn Diagram

The Power Game Provides...The Power Game Provides...

• ““Maps” of local Maps” of local resourceresource governance governance

• Perceived distribution of rightsPerceived distribution of rights, access, , access, power according to stakeholderspower according to stakeholders

• Quantitative data (e.g. height of towers Quantitative data (e.g. height of towers etc.)etc.)

• Qualitative data (discussion about power Qualitative data (discussion about power set-up, accessibility, rights, conflicts etc.)set-up, accessibility, rights, conflicts etc.)

• Tool for presentationTool for presentation

• Tool for group discussionTool for group discussion

Eva Schiffer ---- 04 November 2004 ---- IFPRI

Playing the Power Game: Playing the Power Game:

• list stakeholderslist stakeholders• chose figures (playing pieces; e.g. tower) chose figures (playing pieces; e.g. tower) • arrange figures on “local governance map”arrange figures on “local governance map”• add “range of action cards” to eachadd “range of action cards” to each

eye (observing)eye (observing); lips (giving advise); person with ; lips (giving advise); person with voting hand (voting hand (decision-making); money icon decision-making); money icon (receive/give payment)(receive/give payment)

• define powerdefine power• put figures on “power towers” (chips)put figures on “power towers” (chips)• review set-upreview set-up• discuss: Why? How?discuss: Why? How?


Separately with each stakeholder (individual or Separately with each stakeholder (individual or group)group)

The Power Game The Power Game

Foto 1 (Spieldetails)


The Power Game The Power Game


community action: framework for assessing feasibility and constraints across different systems

Education

community power relations

power setup

power gamefoto

power gameeva schiffer

groups eva schiffer

village authorities

stakeholder individual

group discussion eva