Understanding Communities: From Knowledge into Practice - nirapad

Understanding Communities:
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From Knowledge into Practice
In order to help communities manage AHI, it is necessary to first assess and understand
the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs as well as existing practices that may influence health
and health risks. Human behaviours – including animal husbandry practices – have
evolved over thousands of years and are deeply ingrained in their community contexts. In
addition, behaviours and practices are influenced by socio-cultural and economic factors
that are not always easy to recognise and are typically difficult to address. A thorough
community assessment can identify existing beliefs, attitudes and behaviours while also
revealing gaps in information and barriers to risk-reducing practices, thereby providing
crucial direction to the design and implementation of projects concerned with
community-based management of AHI. Assessments will also enable practitioners to
better understand and address factors such as socio-economic incentives and disincentives
that influence AHI risk reduction [for a discussion of barriers to risk reduction and
behaviour change, refer to Chapter 3, page 77].
Assessments and their subsequent analyses feed into the design and implementation of
projects for community-based management of AHI. Regular re-assessment and analysis
ensures that programme design reflects evolving community realities, builds upon
programme successes, and addresses challenges and lessons identified as a result of
experience. Research and assessments can therefore be conducted at different stages in the
project cycle, with different objectives and through the use of different methods.
Attention to the ‘bigger picture’ of the project life-cycle is important from the early stages
in designing a project. For instance, it is particularly useful to identify, from the outset, the
indicators that will assist project design and ongoing assessment; the collection of
information based on these indicators in a baseline assessment will enable subsequent
Anthropologist Benjamin Hickler undertook ethnographic
research for FAO in Cambodia as part of a project that
aimed to involve communities directly in the development
of better focused communication strategies that would
bring about the desired simple changes in their behaviour –
for further information, refer to FAO Cambodia case study, page 12
Photo: B. Hickler
Understanding Communities: From Knowledge into Practice
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The different uses of research in the project cycle
based on William Novelli's 'Social Marketing Wheel'
1
Planning and
Strategy
2
Selecting Channels
and Materials
Research
3
Developing
Materials and
Pre-testing
6
Feedback to
Refine Program
4
Implementation
5
Assessing
Effectiveness
monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention. Therefore, while
initial research and assessments at the community level might be directed to gathering
information relevant to project design, this should not be done without looking at the
longer-term picture and how this information might be used in later stages for assessing
and improving the project and its outcomes.
Research and assessments at the community level can be used at different stages in the
project cycle to strengthen community-based management of AHI. Community-based
research and assessments will enable practitioners to answer a number of different
questions important to effective design, monitoring and evaluation of projects. For
instance, questions might include:
• Who is the ‘community’ – demographic composition, socio-cultural characteristics,
livelihoods, etc.
• What information does the community already possess about AHI and what
knowledge is still missing
• How do community members perceive the risks of AHI to their animals,
livelihoods, health or family situation
• What do people do to protect their animals and families from disease Why do
they do it
• How do community members obtain information How is information circulated
within the community Who are the key communicators in the community
Which community members are harder to reach
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Experience Sharing in Community-Based Management of Avian and Human Influenza in Asia

• What practices exist within the community that may enhance/reduce health and
other risks
• What barriers (cultural, societal, economic, political, etc.) exist within the
community that may discourage the adoption of practices to reduce the risks of AHI
• What types of incentives (economic, socio-cultural, familial, personal, etc.) may
motivate community members to change their behaviour
• Have risk communication messages and Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) materials achieved their intended goals of increasing
awareness and promoting risk reducing behaviour
Research and assessments undertaken at the community level
enable practitioners to target communication strategies and IEC
materials to the needs and socio-cultural contexts of communities
Photo: AED Lao PDR
Community-level project managers have a wide variety of information collection tools at
their disposal to find answers to their questions. Qualitative methods such as focus
groups, key informant interviews, and ethnographic participant observation can provide
understanding of why people do certain things – their beliefs, attitudes, priorities, etc.
[FAO Cambodia case study, page 12]. Quantitative methods such as questionnaire-based
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) surveys can measure levels of knowledge and
practices of community members, provide a representative profile of the community and
monitor change over time [AED Lao PDR case study, page 7]. Such methods are
particularly important in monitoring the progress of large-scale interventions and
providing quantitative assessments of impacts. More qualitative methodologies – such as
Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) or Participatory Action Research (PAR)
approaches – can help to strengthen community participation and local ‘ownership’ of a
project [for examples of PLA, refer to UNICEF Philippines and UNICEF Thailand case
studies in Chapter 2, pages 59 and 66 respectively; for more information on PAR, refer to
AED-UNICEF PAR Guidelines in the Resource DVD ].
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Quick summary of methods most in use
Method Key features Data generated When best to use
Semi-structured
interview
Interview with purposefully
selected key informants
informally guided by
pre-determined, usually
open-ended questions.
Can include other tools
such as free-listing, top of
the mind analysis, paired
comparisons, etc.
Qualitative:
stories and quotes
• Formative research
at baseline
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
Unstructured observation
Wide-ranging observations
of activities and
behaviours gathered
through participating in
selected settings
or at opportune
moments.
Qualitative:
descriptions of events
and processes
• Formative research
at baseline
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
Focus group discussion
Moderated discussion
with representatives of
participant groups guided
by some pre-determined
questions. Can include
participatory tools such
as seasonal calendars and
vignettes.
Qualitative:
stories and quotes
Quantitative:
opinions and judgements,
if using some
participatory tools
• Formative research at
baseline
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
Structured interview
(KAP questionnaire)
Interview with usually
representative samples of
respondents systematically
guided by pre-determined,
usually closed questions.
Quantitative:
numbers, percentages,
frequencies, etc.
• Formative research at
baseline
• Sometimes during
monitoring
• Evaluation
Structured observation
Narrowly-focused
observations of activities
and behaviours gathered
through using a
predefined checklist.
Quantitative:
numbers, percentages,
frequencies, etc.
• Formative research at
baseline
• Sometimes during
monitoring
• Evaluation
There are a number of different issues to remember when selecting and refining
methodologies for use at the community level. The following represents some of these key
points, which are highlighted through the case studies in this chapter:
• Choose a methodology which is appropriate to the community context,
project-type, project cycle phase, resources and time available.
• Consider the impact of research or assessments on the community and ways in
which research might strengthen the involvement of the community in more
participatory project design and implementation.
• In order to document accurately changes/evolution in knowledge, attitudes and
practices, some sort of quantitative study will be necessary. However, conduct
qualitative research first to help focus and improve quantitative research. Different
methodologies can complement each other and lead to more accurate results.
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• Start with pre-existing, pre-tested questionnaires for quantitative research; adapt
to the local context as needed.
• It is never necessary to work alone or to ‘reinvent the wheel’ – collaboration with
others working in the same area, use of secondary data and requests for assistance
from national and regional experts will greatly facilitate community-level
assessments and research.
IEC materials were developed to
respond to gaps in knowledge and
address risky behaviours identified
through KAP studies in Lao PDR;
these were then pre-tested by
AED in the target communities –
for further information, refer to AED
Lao PDR case study, page 7
Photo: AED Lao PDR
One commonly used
quantitative tool is the
KAP survey. In addition
to measuring knowledge,
attitudes and practices of
the community, KAP
studies help establish a
baseline to monitor and
evaluate the impact of
projects and are used to
measure programme
success against specified
indicators. KAP studies
can also help project managers and community-based practitioners prioritise messages,
decide what types of information are needed, which messages will be best absorbed, and
how to go about communicating those messages [AED Lao PDR case study, page 7].
As suggested by the table above, however, KAP studies are but one type of tool for
research and assessment in communities and are not for every situation. With any tool, it
is important to bear in mind its strengths and weaknesses. KAP studies typically require
a large commitment in terms of expertise and resources and so are best used in large-scale
or national programmes. More participatory methods may be more appropriate at the
community level. Before embarking on a large-scale survey, it is important to remember
that community-level organisations often have extensive skills in conducting research at
the community level, and some of the participatory methodologies with which they are
already familiar might present more user-friendly options that have a greater potential to
strengthen partnerships with the community [for examples of participatory methodologies,
refer to FAO Cambodia case study in this chapter, page 12 + UNICEF case studies in Chapter
2, starting on page 55; for more information on PAR, refer to AED-UNICEF PAR
Guidelines ].
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One important lesson identified from past experience in community-level assessments
and research is that community perception influences everything. Discrepancies between
levels of awareness and actual changes in behaviour often relate to the degree to which
people perceive their own risk, rather than awareness of risks in a more abstract sense
[FAO Cambodia case study, page 12]. Studies undertaken at different stages (typically
baseline versus end-line assessments such as KAP studies) can reveal changes in perceptions
of risk and measure the impact of activities targeting risk behaviour. More generally,
integrating research and assessments into the different stages of strategies for communitybased
management of AHI enables better planned, implemented and evaluated projects
and programmes that take into account community perceptions, needs and priorities.
Past experience has repeatedly shown that community-level work – including research
and assessments at the community level – is dependent on the trust that community
members have in the practitioner or researcher. The cultivation of community trust is one
of the most important factors in community-based risk management. It should not
always be assumed that community members will automatically provide true answers to
the questions being asked. Culturally-sensitive and expertly conducted ethnographic
research or structured observation of actual behaviour might reveal gaps between what
people say they do, what they actually do, and what is considered normative
behaviour [FAO Cambodia case study, page 12]. The issue of trust, therefore, reminds us
of the need to triangulate the findings of research and to use different methodologies to
cross-check these findings. Finally, research – when of a more participatory nature – can
itself be used to foster community trust and to reinforce the collaborative relationships
through which community-based management of AHI might be strengthened.
References:
USAID 2008 A Guide for Monitoring and Evaluating Avian Influenza Programs in Southeast
Asia (included in the Resource DVD)
AED and UNICEF 2007 Participatory Action Research on Avian Flu Communication:
Summary Report and Recommendations (included in the Resource DVD)
UNICEF 2006 Essentials for Excellence: Researching, Monitoring and Evaluating Strategic
Communication in the Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza/Pandemic Influenza
(included in the Resource DVD)
Other useful materials are included in the Resource DVD – for example:
DVD – Are we listening Community perceptions and Avian Influenza, B. Hickler and FAO
Cambodia
Bagnol, B. 2007 Participatory tools for assessment and monitoring of poultry-raising activities and
animal disease control
Debus M. (AED) 1990 Methodological Review: A Handbook for Excellence in Focus Group Research
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AED Lao PDR
A ‘consumer-oriented’ approach to research among
backyard farmers in Lao PDR
In Lao PDR, approximately 80 percent of poultry are kept in backyard farms. Backyard
farmers are therefore a key target for AHI interventions. In order to effectively design,
monitor and evaluate interventions in this broad segment of the population, it is
necessary first to understand the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of backyard
farmers and – to the extent that this is possible – to quantify these measures.
The Academy for Educational Development (AED)
has been implementing a USAID-funded
programme in Southeast Asia designed to enhance
awareness and promote behaviour change among
backyard poultry farmers in order to prevent and
control AHI. As part of this programme, AED has
conducted a baseline and end-line KAP survey
Community-level assessments
and research can be undertaken
at different stages in the project
management cycle in order to
understand the dynamics of
existing behavioural patterns
and measure behaviour change
targeting backyard poultry producers in Lao PDR (in addition to qualitative studies) in
order to understand the dynamics of existing behavioural patterns and measure behaviour
change. Such an understanding enables the design of more effective communication
interventions.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY-BASED AHI
MANAGEMENT PROJECT
1. Community context
Lao PDR comprises a population of approximately six million, spread across
17 provinces. While the majority of the population speak Lao, the country includes a
diversity of ethnic groups, many of whom do not speak or read the official language.
To date, Lao PDR has experienced several outbreaks of avian influenza (AI). The most
severe outbreak occurred in 2007, when two fatal human infections were confirmed. More
recently, in 2008 an outbreak was confirmed in Luang Namtha, near the border with
China and Myanmar.
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AED identified four priority provinces in which to focus interventions. These four
provinces were selected on the basis of high risks of AHI, large and dense poultry
populations, their status as key population centres and the presence of major trade routes
to and from neighbouring countries. Although representing less than a quarter of the
country’s provinces, these priority areas comprise almost half the population of Lao PDR.
2.The community-based AHI management project
This project comprised two primary objectives: to measure baseline knowledge, attitudes
and practices and to provide a tool for monitoring and evaluation of interventions over
time and in different areas. The KAP study tools and methods were adapted from similar
studies conducted in Vietnam and Cambodia. The importance of being able to make
comparisons between countries and across time was
recognised. In addition to the same tools and
methods, the same research company was also
employed to conduct the studies. This approach
enabled the studies to be as comparable as possible,
leaving little room for extraneous variables.
Adapting tools and methods
that have already been developed
and used facilitates research at
the community level and enables
comparisons between research
results from different contexts
Participatory approaches can
promote stakeholder buy-in and
strengthen partnerships for
community-based management of
AHI – for other examples, refer to
UNICEF case studies in Chapter 2,
starting on page 55
The baseline KAP survey was conducted in
September 2006; the end-line survey was
conducted in October 2007. Qualitative research
was also conducted throughout and beyond this
period. A participatory approach was implemented
in order to develop partnerships and promote the
‘buy-in’ of key stakeholders, including government
ministries, mass organisations, UN agencies, international NGOs and technical agencies.
3. Project outcomes and outputs
The KAP research confirmed some initial hypotheses and legitimised AED’s subsequent
approach to awareness-raising and behaviour change strategies:
• Community networks are extremely important in delivering information.
• The media is vital in conveying messages, often serving as the first source of
information.
• Awareness is relatively ‘easy’ to influence.
• Some changes in knowledge can occur
quickly.
• Some behavioural patterns and trends are
relatively easy to change.
KAP studies and other forms of
research conducted at the community
level can reveal networks and dynamics
in the dissemination of information
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Experience Sharing in Community-Based Management of Avian and Human Influenza in Asia

The research also pointed to gaps and key lessons to take into account in managing AHI
at the community level in Lao PDR:
• The importance of the village chief, as a conduit for information and driver for
action, was greater than initially expected.
• Village veterinary workers were initially given low credibility – in particular, in
comparison with village health workers.
• Villagers demonstrated relatively low levels of willingness to report unusual
poultry deaths.
• Changes in behaviour that can be effective in curbing animal-to-animal
transmission of AI were relatively slow.
• Some gaps in communication and behaviour change were identified, without their
causes being readily obvious. For instance:
° More ‘difficult-to-change’ behaviours were
detected – that is, areas where information
had been transferred to community members,
certain levels of knowledge and understanding
were demonstrated, but behaviours did not
change, or changed very little.
Community-level research can
reveal gaps between awareness
and practice as well as
barriers to behaviour change –
for example, refer to FAO
Cambodia case study, page 12
° The KAP study allowed AED to identify such gaps, but further research was
needed in order to address them.
AED’s research provided guidance to the development
of IEC materials, which were later pre-tested at the
community level
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AED used the results of the KAP studies for a number of purposes:
• Developed and refined mass media strategies
• Developed and refined community awareness-raising and behaviour change strategies
• Developed and revised communication materials, including advocacy and education
materials, media materials, and training resources, with a strong emphasis given to
reaching community members with low levels of literacy and on using key
community figures who would act as mobilisers and educators [for discussion of the
role of Lao village leaders in promoting risk reduction messages, refer to UNICEF case
study in Chapter 2, page 55]
• Shared survey tools and methods with partners in Lao PDR in order to promote
standardisation of research, monitoring and evaluation
4. Partners
AED worked with a number of key players during the implementation of this project.
The various ministerial bodies of the Lao government – under the guidance of the
National AHI Coordination Office (NAHICO) – provided support, guidance, cooperation
and technical expertise, as well as facilitating introductions and access to
communities and community leaders. FAO provided technical expertise – especially in
relation to issues surrounding transmission and prevention of AI – facilitated access to
communities, and assisted with the pre-testing and development of materials. CARE
adapted the survey tools and methods for use in other provinces, and UNICEF and
others served as collaborating partners.
Pre-testing of IEC posters in Oudomxay
village, Lao PDR
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LESSONS IDENTIFIED
1. Specific lessons
• Research is more effective with stakeholder buy-in.
• KAP studies highlight patterns and changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices.
• KAP studies point to gaps and priority areas for awareness-raising and behaviour
change.
• Qualitative research should be used to
complement KAP studies – addressing
gaps in research and contributing to the
development of effective communication
materials and interventions.
Qualitative research can complement
quantitative studies, to provide a fuller
picture of factors influencing behaviour
at the community level – for example,
refer to FAO Cambodia case study,
page 12
2. Cross-cutting lessons
• Building trust and partnerships with the community is vital.
• Understanding the strengths and limits of the mass media is crucial.
• Pictures and illustrations are important communication tools in communities
characterised by low levels of literacy.
• Identification and utilisation of existing social networks for information
dissemination and promotion of behaviour change is essential.
• Understanding the village context provides insight into legitimate community
reactions to projects in community-based management of AHI.
PROJECT & CONTACT DETAILS for further information on this case study
Academy for Educational Development (AED)
Anton Schneider, Country Coordinator
Lao PDR
Tel: +856 20 240 315
E-mail: anton.schneider@gmail.com
Photos and IEC materials courtesy of AED Lao PDR
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FAO Cambodia
‘Bridging the gap’ between awareness and practice:
Participatory learning of rural beliefs and practices on AHI
prevention and response in Cambodia
Behaviour is influenced by more
than just knowledge or awareness
of the risks of AHI – for a discussion
of some barriers to behaviour
change, refer to Chapter 3, page 77
AHI communication efforts in Cambodia have,
from a certain perspective, been a resounding
success. Research has pointed to high levels of
nominal awareness – albeit more awareness of
animal-to-human transmission than of animal-toanimal
transmission – and high levels of understanding of the messages being promoted
to reduce the risks of AHI. High levels of ‘awareness’, however, have not necessarily
translated into behaviour change. Many people continue to handle and consume sick
birds or birds that have died of unexplained diseases; the use of gloves or masks when
handling poultry is uncommon; low levels of reporting persist; there still exist a multitude
of erroneous beliefs about the transmission of AHI; and biosecurity is almost non-existent.
This FAO-led study used mixed methods – including participatory assessment tools and
ethnographic research – to highlight the beliefs and practices of smallholder poultry
producers in rural Cambodia. The objective was to reveal local understandings of poultry
disease in general and of AI in particular. The striking gap between high levels of
awareness of key risk reduction messages and the systematic prevalence of high-risk
behaviours among target audiences in rural Cambodia motivated the research, which
eventually concluded with the recommendation that, to bridge the gap between awareness
and behaviour change, communicators should build upon rather than ignore pre-existing
understandings and practices. Messages should be delivered in ways that make sense from
the point of view of the target audience.
Ny Mouyry facilitated group discussions with community members and key informant interviews in order
to gain a better understanding of barriers to behaviour change
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Experience Sharing in Community-Based Management of Avian and Human Influenza in Asia

DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY-BASED AHI
MANAGEMENT PROJECT
1. Community context
The project was implemented in 13 districts within seven provinces – Prey Veng, Svay
Rieng, Kampong Cham, Takeo, Kampot, Siem Reap and Ratanakiri. Four different types
of communities comprising small-scale poultry producers were targeted:
a) communities that had not experienced AHI first-hand but were located in areas
characterised by high human and poultry densities, many smallholdings of
household poultry, and significant cross-border poultry movements;
b) communities in villages and districts with past first-hand experience of AHI (four
of the villages had experienced AI outbreaks in poultry and two villages had seen
human cases of AI infection);
c) communities with high proportions of households relying on backyard poultry
production for income; and
d) communities in five villages in Ratanakiri province characterised by co-existence of
backyard farmers, migrant labourers and local authorities.
Samples were specifically drawn from communities comprising significant minority
populations. In total, the project conducted 20 participatory discussion groups, gathering
input from 190 women and 151 men.
2.The community-based AHI management project
This study aimed to:
• explain the discrepancy between high levels of
Participatory research
‘awareness’ and the persistence of high-risk
and anthropological studies
behaviours;
can reveal underlying
• expose the daily realities of the target communities reasons for practices at
the community level
– their beliefs, values, priorities, as well as the
considerations that may influence what they do and why they do it;
• involve directly communities in the development of policies and practices that will
affect them; and
• develop a methodological platform that could be applied in different community
contexts, as a way to answer similar questions concerning local beliefs and to
provide explanatory models relevant to the control of zoonotic diseases such
as AHI.
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Implemented in July-August 2007, the study primarily benefited FAO staff and
partners who sought to strengthen their understanding of the communities with which
they work. Purposive sampling was used to target four different groups of small-scale
poultry producers. Participant groups were defined and study sites were selected in
consultation with FAO trainers for Village Animal Health Workers. Each trainer
provided unique insight into the dynamics and
characteristics of his/her respective province.
These insights and understandings were then
used to target specific districts, communes or
villages for sampling. Permission and assistance
from commune and village chiefs were sought to
organise activities in a short amount of time.
Working through local authority
structures such as village chiefs
facilitates activities at the community
level and strengthens partnerships for
community-based management of
AHI – for another example, refer to
UNICEF Lao PDR case study, page 55
Short interviews with and observation of poultry
buyers and vendors were conducted by the FAO research team
in the target communities
Research and assessment
methods need to be sensitive
and adapted to the sociocultural
contexts in which
they are used
Focus group discussions (FGDs) were held in ‘natural’
settings for community gatherings and generally took
place outdoors in the shade of a tree, in a public space
like a pagoda or schoolhouse, or in the shade of
someone’s house. Initially, FGDs were divided by
gender, but in several cases a small number of individuals of the opposite gender joined in
and contributed to the discussions. In two cases, it was decided to conduct mixed FGDs,
since previous experience had indicated that – unlike circumstances in some other
cultural contexts – Khmer women were no less likely to express their opinions in the
presence of men than they were in the presence of other women.
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Through FGDs, the study aimed to reveal the answers to two specific questions:
1. What do people already do to protect their poultry and their families from AHI
2. WHY do people do what they do to protect their poultry and the well-being of their
families
The FAO team experienced a number of unexpected challenges when conducting FGDs.
For example, the study was conducted during the rice planting season, and in two cases
the village chief was unable to gather enough people together for a discussion that had
been scheduled. Also, given the variety and openness of settings for FGDs, it was not
uncommon for a group of spectators (usually children) to gather around and watch the
proceedings. In one FGD, it appeared that participants had been provided beforehand
with information about what would be discussed and how to respond to questions. This
was taken into consideration during the analysis of the information that was collected
through the FGD. Finally, the project timeframe did not include enough time for
transcription and analysis of all the data collected through FGDs. Thus, some of the
nuance and ‘richness’ that comes from verbatim transcription of participants’ responses was
left out from the report.
3. Project outcomes and outputs
The outcomes of the study have led to the recommendation that communication
strategies should build on communities’ pre-existing understandings or practices, many of
which are culturally-founded. Practitioners should promote messages in a way that makes
sense from the target audiences’ point of view, while ensuring that IEC materials are both
practical and effective [community-level communication strategies are discussed in detail in
Chapter 2, beginning on page 19].
FAO has revised its training curriculum for Village Animal Health Workers taking into
account the results of this and other studies. A storyline was developed, with a montage
of posters showing two themes: a) how the virus can be transmitted from poultry to
poultry and from poultry to human; and b) prevention measures that villagers can take
to prevent and control the spread of AHI. The storyline is used in forums in remote areas,
where communities have limited access to radio and TV, as well as in village meetings on
AHI led by local authorities in provinces bordering Vietnam, Thailand and Lao PDR. To
reinforce the messages promoted by the storyline, leaflets, T-shirts and posters have been
created using illustrations from the storyline. FAO also produced a video in English
highlighting the findings and recommendations of the study. The film has been shown in
international meetings in Bangkok and New Delhi. It has now been translated into
French at the request of FAO headquarters so that it can be shown at regional
communication workshops in Tunisia and Senegal.
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This study also demonstrates the importance of a multi-faceted approach to project
design. The combination of tools (simple participatory tools like FGDs and key-informant
interviews), metrics (for measuring understanding, practicability and different sorts of
‘awareness’) and anthropological approaches assembled in this study represents a
preliminary attempt to create a flexible research platform. This ‘platform’ could be applied
in a variety of national or sub-national contexts in order to address a range of communication
problems. But while this innovative methodological platform can be applied to other
contexts, it should nevertheless be adjusted or expanded to fit a broader range of scenarios.
LESSONS IDENTIFIED
1. Specific lessons
• The development of effective communication strategies and tools must not only
be founded on sound technical recommendations but also grounded in the
realities of the lives of the target audiences. Messages are more likely to succeed if
they build on pre-existing understandings or practices.
• Projects such as this must be flexible in their implementation strategies: along the
way, there were numerous incidents that took the FAO team by surprise,
requiring a shift in plans.
• It is crucial to work with the local
taxonomy. For example, in Cambodia
dan kor kach (Newcastle Disease) is the
term for a sickness in poultry
characterised by seasonal surges in
mortality and generally regarded as
natural and harmless to humans, albeit
Gaps between awareness and practice
are related to the degree to which
people perceive themselves to be at
risk and to people’s experiences in
relation to AHI – for an example of
awareness-raising in an ‘AI-free zone’,
refer to UNICEF Philippines case study,
page 59
harmful to livelihoods; it is seen as impossible to prevent and difficult to treat.
Pdash sai back sey (avian influenza) is a new term that is often confused with dan
kor kach, leading to similarly fatalistic attitudes.
• Taking into account the local context, it is important to encourage a shift from a
‘naturalist’ to a ‘contagion’ model of poultry disease and death. This modification
promotes the prevention of transmission.
• It is important to focus on perceptions of risk, rather than fear.
• It is important to work with the communities’ attitudes that ‘hearing is just
hearing; seeing is believing.’
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2. Cross-cutting lessons
• Messages should be connected to local values
and priorities: ‘Family prosperity and well-being’
was, in Cambodia, the best way to link key
messages to values for which people would
willingly change their behavioural patterns.
• Gender should be a primary consideration in
Participatory communication
strategies are more effective
than top-down efforts to
impose ‘healthy’ behaviour –
for more information, refer to
Chapter 2, page 19
developing and evaluating IEC materials and communication strategies.
• Different approaches should be considered for households that rely on poultry as
assets and for households that rely on poultry for income.
• Persuading people to change how they normally go about things is difficult,
especially when the intervention concerns core livelihood issues or when it
contravenes long-standing ‘common sense’ that has been passed down from
generation to generation. Evidence and experience have proved that communication
strategies generated in collaboration with the target audiences will be more
effective than those imposed without consultation or meaningful dialogue.
A documentary of FAO’s work in Cambodia is included in the Resource DVD:
Are we listening Community perceptions on avian influenza – B. Hickler and FAO
PROJECT & CONTACT DETAILS for further information on this case study
FAO HPAI Control Programme in Cambodia
Maria Cecilia Dy, Information and Communication Officer
4B Street 370, Boeung Keng Kang 1
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel: +855 23 726 281
Fax: +855 23 726 250
E-mail: cecilia.dy@fao.org
Implementing partners: Department of Animal Health and Production, Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Funding agencies: USAID, the Government of Germany and the Government of Japan
Photos courtesy of B. Hickler and FAO Cambodia
Understanding Communities: From Knowledge into Practice
17