The approach is to seek input from the each group of stakeholders in turn and to
discuss the relative importance and root causes of specific problems across the whole
group.
This process commonly involves separating the participants into smaller stakeholder
groups (e.g. women, farmers, fishers) to work with one facilitator and list what they
view as the major natural resource related livelihoods problems. A facilitator can
record this list on a flip-chart on behalf of each group or keep notes if the group is
illiterate. Each group then reports its findings to the whole group.
Alternatively the facilitators may wish to base the problem census on discussion
with the entire group together. This may be preferable when the local community
and the planning group is not diverse or where there may be sensitivity around
separating the group. The discussion should highlight how interrelated many of the
problems are and how different types of stakeholder are affected (see Box 2.).
Soil erosion
Cost (lack) of fuel
wood
Conflict at reservoir
Poor harvests
Hygiene &
health, potable
water
Animal damage
Lacking inputs,
training or support
Lack of surface
water
Insufficient
pasture
Animal disease
Lack of options/
alternative livelihoods
Box 2. Examples of potential problems and how they are linked. Natural resource
problems are often interrelated. The task of the facilitators is to help highlight and discuss
these linkages with the community and to help identify initiatives that might tackle
cross-cutting issues.
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