Transcript Combining Participatory and Survey-Based Approaches to

Combining Participatory and Survey-Based
Approaches to Poverty Monitoring and Analysis
For the purpose of
Monitoring the
Implementation of the
PEAP
Combining Participatory and Survey-Based
Approaches to Poverty Monitoring and Analysis
Our Starting point
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Consider what Caravalho and White distinguish as
the approaches to combine the two methods…
1. Integrating the two approaches into one
methodology
2. Using the two approaches to CONFIRM,
REFUTE, ENRICH and /or EXPLAIN findings
from the other
However many more issues were
raised and discussions were much
broader………
Presentation will cover …..
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Objectives (What do we want to achieve by
combining)
Strengths and weaknesses of each method
Issues around combining and refocusing methods
Conclusions for PPA2
Conclusions for combining
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Sampling and linking
UBOS role
Analytical levels
And What has been achieved so far……
Combining Participatory and Survey-Based
Approaches to Poverty Monitoring and Analysis
Objectives
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To respond to the wish of the Government of
Uganda to achieve a better articulation of the
relevant research processes and to obtain a
better understanding of the results.
To go beyond joint reporting of findings from
non-statistical and statistical sources (which is
well established in Uganda through the Poverty
Status reports).
Combining Participatory and Survey-Based
Approaches to Poverty Monitoring and Analysis
Objectives
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we wish to
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Improve the two way flow of information
between beneficiaries, service providers and
policy makers, covering the information on :
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Inputs (public spending etc…)
Outputs (The quantity and quality of immediate
results)
Immediate outcomes (e.g.access to services)
Final (Multi dimensional) Poverty Outcomes
Combining Participatory and Survey-Based
Approaches to Poverty Monitoring and Analysis
Objectives
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Greater robustness in findings (less likely
both methods would fail in a given instance)
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Complementarities (seeing a situation from
different perspectives)
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Increased influence on policy makers
Survey Based Methodology
STRENGTHS
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 Definite comparative advantage in
obtaining quantitative data
 Makes aggregation possible (data can be
generalised)
 Allows systematic disaggregation of data,
(we can measure trends within sub-groups).
Survey Based Methodology
STRENGTHS
Allows comparison over time (particular
strength with panel survey data)
 Allows simulation of different policy
options
 Provides results whose reliability is
measurable
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Survey Based Methodology
Weaknesses
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Sampling and non-sampling error (particularly
in under reporting of income and some expenditure)….
Although different sources can help to measure these
errors
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Miss what is not easily quantifiable
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Fails to capture intra-household allocation (a
particular problem)
Survey Based Methodology
Weaknesses
Difficult to measure attitudes and behaviour
(Has typically closed questions)
 Cost and length of time required for
analysis
 Some feel this approach is extractive
(morally questionable)
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Participatory Approaches
STRENGTHS
Provides a richer definition of poverty
 More insight into casual processes
 More accuracy and depth of information on
certain questions and in certain cases
 There is a possibility of being holistic
(looking at a set of relationships as a whole)
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Participatory Approaches
STRENGTHS
Ability to go immediately back to data and
interrogate initial findings/puzzles (further
interviews and observation)
 A wide range of resources for
“triangulation” (systematic cross checking)
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Participatory Approaches
Strengths Continued……….
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It was noted that a PPA is not just a new type
of study of poverty and its causes, but is a
process which aims to achieve :
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a better understanding of poverty
New constituencies for anti-poverty action
Enhanced accountability to poor people
More effective policies and action
i.e. Main strength of PPAs lies in identifying the range of
both final and intermediate processes and issues that are
important to poverty reduction.
Participatory Approaches
Weaknesses
The real Observer bias issues (Lack of
guarantee of objectivity ?)
 It is unknown how representative the data is
of the National situation
 It is not suitable for providing definitive
tests of hypotheses that apply to such wider
populations.
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Participatory Approaches
Weaknesses cont……
 There
are difficulties in verifying
information
No systematic disaggregation
 Perceptions of poverty are relative to
changing environments
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Issues around Combining and refocusing
methods
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PPAs are not the best tool for monitoring final
outcomes.
Opportunities for using survey and participatory
methods to confirm and refute each other are
fewer than previously thought.
Maintaining the essential differences between
survey-based and participatory approaches is the
best way to exploit their complementarities.
Technocrats and politicians like to see a diversity
in the types of evidence
Issues around combining and
refocusing
methods
 As it is important to generate quick feedback on
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PEAP implementation, there should be a relative
shift of attention towards intermediate factors and
policy implementation bottlenecks.
This would seem to imply:
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some change in focus of PPA research, and
more attention to access to services etc. in the
analysis of existing data
Conclusions for PPA2
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There was a wide agreement on the need to give
the second national PPA a strong and quite
focused analytical framework to guide field work
and reporting. This will take the form of
addressing unanswered questions from :
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The reports from PPA1
Analytical work on the household survey series,
particularly its panel component
A review of key implementation bottlenecks, - and
intermediate input, output and outcome issues
Conclusions for combining
Sampling and linkage for PPA2
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From the discussion, three different reasons for exploring a
fresh approach to sampling for PPA2 emerged.
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The growing analytical interest in how people become less poor
and hence in investigating poverty by “studying successes”
The wish to be able to make general statements that carry weight
with policy makers.
The desirability of maximising design and analytical links between
survey results and PPA themes and findings.
Conclusions for combining
Sampling and linkage for PPA2
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So….
Sites for PPA2 will be chosen to maximise
mutual linkages with the panel element of
the Household surveys.
 PPA2 will also have purposively selected
sites
 There will be over sampling of cases of
special analytical interest
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Conclusions for combining
UBOS’s role
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UBOS will become more active in the analysis of
data. In particular, they will provide summarised
general and panel data, to provide information to
help UPPAP in their sample selection. In areas
selected UBOS will supply fact sheets of
interesting (possibly conflicting) information that
can be further researched.
Conclusions for combining
analytical levels
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UBOS and UPPAP will undertake joint
dissemination and sensitisation efforts
They will create a circle of analytical linkage
(rather than linear , in one direction)
UPPAP will focus on asking “why” questions, and
UPPAP will NOT make participatory work more
survey-like in order to check other data.
Conclusions for combining
(and finally)
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UPPAP and UBOS will develop a closer and more
cooperative relationship by……
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More sharing of information and analysis (improve
communications between partner’s offices)
Jointly develop a community based information system
Sharing experience on how to stimulate interest in data
and how to promote its intelligent use
Collaborating to provide more reporting back at the
grass roots level, especially in panel areas
What has already been done !
UPPAP are currently designing PPA2 with
significantly increased consultation with
UBOS.
 Next step when selecting sites is to
ensure plenty of overlap with the sites of
the panel element in the household
survey.
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What has already been done !
UBOS has created a new research unit
which will consist of Statisticians,
sociologists and an economist to improve
their analytical capabilities.
 This unit will provide information to assist
with the design and further research for
PPA2.
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