In August 2021, I used a structured household questionnaire co-created from the FAO’s Tool for Agro-ecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), to assess the level of household’s AE transitions in the South Western Part of Zambia. The Characterization of Agroecology Transition (CAET) section of TAPE (using the 10 elaborated elements) was particularly useful and was contextualized within Zambia's case and used to assess the AE transitions, among a sample of the households.
My experience with the tool is that it comprehensively covers a wide aspect of rural livelihoods and the interactions of agricultural and environmental domains in the provision of this livelihood. Moreover, the tool can easily be understood and implemented within a short duration. All the questions have standardized likert scale responses on the 10 elements and the sub elements, ranging from 0 to 4, making it relatively easier to comprehend. The fact that the tool allows detailed discussions on the farmer's circumstances (by several members of the household) before arriving at what score to give, provided the farmer some participatory space in the determination of their AE transitions, and possible interventions in some areas.
The quantitative manipulation of the scores during analysis ensured that results from the mostly qualitative assessment with farmers, could inform policy in a quantitative rigorous way.
RE: Evaluating agroecology: what is your experience?
In August 2021, I used a structured household questionnaire co-created from the FAO’s Tool for Agro-ecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), to assess the level of household’s AE transitions in the South Western Part of Zambia. The Characterization of Agroecology Transition (CAET) section of TAPE (using the 10 elaborated elements) was particularly useful and was contextualized within Zambia's case and used to assess the AE transitions, among a sample of the households.
My experience with the tool is that it comprehensively covers a wide aspect of rural livelihoods and the interactions of agricultural and environmental domains in the provision of this livelihood. Moreover, the tool can easily be understood and implemented within a short duration. All the questions have standardized likert scale responses on the 10 elements and the sub elements, ranging from 0 to 4, making it relatively easier to comprehend. The fact that the tool allows detailed discussions on the farmer's circumstances (by several members of the household) before arriving at what score to give, provided the farmer some participatory space in the determination of their AE transitions, and possible interventions in some areas.
The quantitative manipulation of the scores during analysis ensured that results from the mostly qualitative assessment with farmers, could inform policy in a quantitative rigorous way.