Rural People and Livelihood Surveys
RMR can carry out surveys and appraisals, using the standard methods applied in this field by social scientists, including:
- document and observation surveys,
- sampling questionnaire and interview surveys,
- preliminary rapid rural appraisal,
- rapid rural appraisal,
- participatory rural appraisal,
using a range of sampling techniques. The techniques (quota sampling, stratified sampling, area frame and cognate frame sampling, sampling with probabilities according to size and other attributes) match the purpose of the survey.
We are aware that in this field, the facts, which include perceptions and intentions, are elusive. RMR specializes in establishing hard facts rather than providing “check-list” reports.
We use techniques of enquiry and investigation developed in the last 40 years as being the most efficient and acceptable ways to understand livelihoods and production systems of subsistence people. Adaptations of technique and approach are made for different cultural and resource settings.
RMR will be able to devise original methodologies for difficult social problems. For example, we used a double visit methods combined with a probability of absence matrix based on age and sex of absent persons for determining true numbers of refugees in households with strong motives to make false reports.
We have experience of developing questionnaires, training and supervising large teams of local interviewers for national inventories and surveys (250 teams, 750 interviewers for the Sudan survey), but usually use long-term staff and smaller teams when possible.
RMR principals, as natural scientists. bring to this task more rigour than typical social science practitioners. We use samplings of observations made in standard ways to expand and calibrate questionnaire and discussion results. For example, the visible property of each householder, particularly tools, implements and food in the house over a number of 24 hour periods through all the production seasons, if carefully monitored, provides a more accurate, quantitative picture of livelihood dynamics, than 20 hours of questions answers and discussions in rapid rural appraisal mode.
For more information contact: info@rmruk.com