Sharing results in northern CAZ

Some of the p4ges team have just returned from the north of CAZ where they have been sharing their results locally. Bodo Rakotojoelina writes …

When I look at the picture I’ve taken during the community feedback in Zahamena, each picture remind me how amazing this trip was. Me, Rina, Mahesh and Real Man (Rolland) worked together for this field trip. Such a very great team: they are all work so hard. It was my first time in Zahamena as I joined the team quite recently and my responsibility is mostly focused on data analysis.

The way of going in the sites was quite long; we spent about 3 days to reach the area as it is 2 day’s walk from the nearest place reachable by vehicle to Antevibe the site for the first community feedback. The walk wasn’t easy at all, up and down most of the time, crossing Zahamena national park in the north. Anyway the landscape was so wonderful and we kept in our mind the importance of sharing the results to the community.

When we finally reached Antevibe village, People were very sociable and warm. They was very happy that the team go back there to share the result of the research our team did there. We had comments that previous researchers have never taken the time to return with the results. I was surprised because they remember all the person from our team, and several people ask several time where are those who didn't join. it was so pleasant! They remember and always say when they met Rina, “Do you remember me? You interviewed me during your stay here in 2014”. Just looking at them so happy to meet again like a friend who was separated for several time and finally meet, trying to tell story about the interviews during these time. Nice people!

At the first time, we planned to do the feedback presentations in two sites (Antevibe and Ambodivoangy). But we were asked to do a further one in Andapa. Local people, especially fokontany presidents, helped us to organise the events.

Although the fieldwork was prepared so carefully before we left the capital (and all equipment tested), unfortunately the tablet computer which we planned to use to project our presentations and videos, didn’t work. But our team managed to do the feedback using the booklet as the basis and people was very interested in it.They read the information inside and asked questions, it was just wonderful seen how interested were they about the research result. The hydrology demonstration which Real Man did also went down very well and generated a lot of discussion about the impact of forest clearance on water. In Andapa fokontany for example, one person reacted during hydro part presentation, he says that the result about forest role in water access is right and say to people that they should think about it. In each other fokontany also, people especially reacted during agricultural result presentation when the amount of rice produced in Tavy land and in Tanimbary and the amount of seed related to both of it were compared. There was also a bit discussion about the number of days needed for one person to do all the necessary work for rice exploitation (since field preparation until production storage). This was useful as allowed us to confirm and adapt some of our estimates which we are using in our models of opportunity cost of conservation restrictions. Approximately 80 people attended in each site.
In each site we gave a small gift (text books for the school, a football and other school equipment) to thank the community for hosting us over the two and a half years. They were very appreciative and thankful. The Tagalamena (local leader) says that now they have more information about their own village (from the detailed reports we left). Also, students even from primary school are the future generation and the future of the village are in their hands, so it’s really important for them that the school obtain more materials that will be used for their study.  

As a first experiences in zahamena sites, it was really pleasant for me working there with such a motivated team and a very nice people. I’m so gratefull to p4ges team to giving me this opportunity.