Ethnography in Agricultural Research: A Tool for Diagnosing Problems and Sustaining Solutions

In order to meet the future challenges of African agriculture, scientists and policy makers will need to move away from prescriptive measures, to more adaptive ways of understanding and addressing problems based on local capabilities and resources. Ethnographic frameworks and methods are one adaptive tool that researchers can use in parsing out complex situations within the context of local practice and culture. This paper highlights the use of an ethnographic framework called the Livelihoods as Intimate Government (LIG) approach and its application in Ghana and Malawi. The authors demonstrate how without preconceived ideas about what challenges exist, the LIG approach is able to illuminate some of the most pressing needs that affect the livelihoods of rural smallholder farmers. Preconceived notions tend to lead to poor diagnosis of problems, which then results in misplaced solutions and misapplication of funds to implement recommended strategies. Use of LIG sets parameters that are specific to the local context, which promotes development of appropriate policies, and sustainability of food security programs, ensuring that limited funds are used appropriately. Key words: Ethnography, field methods, Ghana, Malawi
Background There exists a growing consensus that in order to meet the challenges of African agriculture (Fischer et al., 2009) such as climate change (Schlenker and Lobell, 2010; Thorton et [...]