Monday, January 24, 2011

Since the last KII post

So between then and now we have had a few more KIIs to verify sample frame lists and revise them accordingly. The detailed sample designs for shrimp and tilapia have been uploaded to the KU-SEAT wiki page. The designs were revised based on the results of the KIIs.


And finally we were ready to start the baseline surveys in mid Dec 2010. We were 1 1/2 months behind schedule. There were so many reasons behind this but the main one was that the survey instruments were not ready way back in November. The process was such that it became a never-ending activity of commenting and revising and especially harmonising an instrument among 4 country sites as well as various work packages and interests and disciplines. But this is part of a process which had to be undergone in order to come up with an output wherein we could all say that all efforts had been done to make it as intersdisciplinary as possible, with just enough depth and breadth for a baseline survey. People had to be reminded time and again that there will be a more detailed survey following this one.


The team finished 2 provinces (5 clusters) for shrimp and 1 province (3 clusters) for tilapia before the year 2010 ended. When 2011 came, it was on to the remaining clusters (3 for shrimp in 1 province and 7 for tilapia in 2 provinces). We hope to finish the baseline survey by the end of February. We have to go back to the other previously surveyed provinces to complete the number of respondents as per sample design. The respondents were randomly chosen but some of them were not available to meet us when we called earlier. So there is a need to make a return visit and if they were indeed not available at all, we have to move down the randomised list to complete the numbers. The target is to interview 200 each for shrimp and tilapia producers.

As of 23 January 2011 we have already interviewed about 148 shrimp and 62 tilapia producers.

In the meantime that data is being gathered in the field, the Access database is being refined and after the first week of January we had the top copy of the country-specific database. So we started to input the data from the first batch of questionnaires. We were able to input 63 entries so far and at least 3 of us in the team are now familiar with it. However, as usual, changes have to be incorporated as the database needs to be harmonised among 4 country sites. So then the formatting and all others need to be revised and updated. So what do we do with the Thai database with the already 63 entries?


Right now I am in Fort Kochi with the other project counterparts from China (Wenbo),Vietnam (Lam) and Bangladesh (Ripon), and led by the Project Coordinator (Francis) from Stirling. We are having our PhD Research Retreat, with at least 4 outputs. So we are working on this database and any revisions to be made on the Thai one I have to do so that everything is in place before additional entries will be made. I just hope it's not too much revisions and work. It should be in place now before we continue with all the other remaining entries. I think that there should not be any more changes and additions after this week. Any changes each country wants to make should be added as country-specific codes or put in the comments section.



The other day each one presented the status of survey work in each country. Thailand is the slowest due to the delays and many other reasons. We hope to speed up the work but we are also dependent on potential respondents' availability mainly. But we will try. I think we have a good team, and we hope to get more local staff to double the time (if we can get them).

The reformatted database has just been given to me by Francis and now I must look at each table and check them and do the needed adjustments.