Learning to select and apply qualitative and participatory methods in natural resource management research: self-critical assessment of research in Cameroon

Biophysical scientists are increasingly interested in undertaking research on natural resources management from a social science perspective. This, however, requires at least a basic understanding of the different social science approaches and the philosophical perspectives underlying them. We present a meta-analysis of a researcher’s experience when applying qualitative and participatory research methods for the first time, and reflect on the challenges and lessons learned that could help other aspiring researchers in conducting research with such methods. We compare researcher’s experiences with a quantitative research tool (household surveys) and qualitative non-participatory (focus group discussions) and participatory tools (seasonal activity calendars and access and control matrices) used in a gender-responsive forestry study in Cameroon. The field research included almost 50 gender- and age-disaggregated group sessions. Based on the meta-analysis of the research process, we identified key factors affecting the perceived ease of eliciting and interpreting information with different types of social research tools: specificity and acceptance of a tool, ease of managing social dynamics and maintaining focus during data collection, and subjectivity and comparability during data analysis and interpretation. Developing skills in participatory research from research design to group facilitation and balanced interpretation of findings require considerable time and is often best learned through apprenticeship. We explore how experience gained through the use of participatory research tools and reflection will help in applying such tools better, improving interaction with research participants and increasing relevance of research results

Skills needed for using social science research tools in natural resource management: Personal experience from gender research in the “Beyond timber project” in Cameroon

This dataset contains charts of different participatory research tools drawn from gender and age differentiated groups as well as results of focus group discussion carried out separately with men and women of different age groups. The study was conducted in five villages, three in the East Region and two in the South. Villages were selected based on their location (proximity to logging areas, easy access by road and to markets) and composition (similar size of village, different ethnic groups). Participatory research tools such as Seasonal Activity Calendar (SAC) and Access and Control Matrix (ACM) in addition to Focus Group Discussions (FGD)– were selected for comparison with household surveys used in the other components of the Beyond timber project to represent both quantitative and qualitative, and conventional and participatory research methods. Data collection with the use of each tool was done in gender and age segregated groups in each of the sampled communities. These participatory methods and tools were used to: - Examine participants’ knowledge differentiated by gender and age on the collection / gathering / harvesting, processing and management of forest resources and their uses (medicinal, cultural, domestic and social); - To bring together the knowledge of women and men from different ages to inform the broader project about how communities use, manage and benefit from forest resources. FGD segregated by gender and age were held in each community. A number of 5 -10 participants took part in the different group discussions. The participants were split into four groups: (i) younger women (15 - 35 years of age), (ii) older women (> 35 years of age), (iii) younger men (15 - 35 years of age) and older men (> 35 years of age). Gender and age were selected as analytical variables to ensure a wider range of experiences with respect to forest resource