Community Assessment of Natural Food Sources of Vitamin A, Guidelines for an Ethnographic Protocol (International Nutrition Foundation for Developing Countries - INFDC, 1997, 141 pages): Introduction: C. Program benefits

Community Assessment of Natural Food Sources of Vitamin A, Guidelines for an Ethnographic Protocol (International Nutrition Foundation for Developing Countries - INFDC, 1997, 141 pages)

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Background and acknowledgments

Introduction

A. Users and purpose

B. Goals

C. Program benefits

D. Using this manual

Part one: The protocol

I. Context

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A. The primary and secondary questions addressed by the protocol

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1. What are the key foods (staples, fruits, vegetables, animal food, fats/oils)?

2. What are cultural beliefs about key foods?

3. What are patterns of food use?

4. How is food prepared and stored?

5. What are the signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency?

6. Are there other important issues?

B. Overview of design and timing

II. Steps in the protocol

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A. Site selection

B. Historical, ecological, and cultural setting for the food system

C. Field activities

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1. Key-informant interviews

2. Family food lists and selecting the key foods

3. Market survey 1 and 2

4. Constructing food system data tables

5. Structured interviews with mother-respondents

6. Research modules

D. Preparing the assessment report

Part two: Managing the project

III. Organizing

A. Personnel

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1. Qualifications and training

2. Translation

B. Administrative preparation

1. Networks and interactions

2. Facilities, equipment, and supplies

IV. How to

A. Select key-informants and conduct key-informant interviews

B. Conduct a free list of foods

1. Creating the List

2. Expanding the list through observation

3. Analyzing the free list data

C. Select key foods

D. Identify food plant and animal species

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1. Plant identifications

2. Animal identifications

E. Determine nutrient content of food

F. Select the sample of mother-respondents

G. Manage the data

Appendices

Appendix 1: Examples of research site selection

Appendix 2: Checklist of important background information

Appendix 2A: Example of background information from the Aetas of Canawan, Morong District, Philippines

Appendix 3: Some reminders about data-gathering: Do's and don'ts

Appendix 4: Notes on working with key-informants

Appendix 5: Recording and organizing fieldnotes

Appendix 6: Notes on translation from local to national languages

Appendix 7: An example of selecting key food items from Peru

Appendix 8: Vitamin A content of foot

Appendix 9: Notes on selecting the field data-gathering team

Appendix 10: Selecting representative samples

Appendix 11: Notes on the credibility of these

Appendix 12: Comments on using microcomputers

Appendix 13: Glossary

Community assessment of natural food sources of vitamin a: guidelines for an ethnographic protocol

C. Program benefits

This manual is intended for distribution to national and regional ministries and NGOs for decisions on implementing the protocol in local areas. Following the assessment described here, recommendations for effective strategies in a variety of sectors can be defined to improve vitamin A nutrition in vulnerable groups. The activities resulting from this research will be directly applicable to the community in which the research is conducted. However, adaptation to broader regions is possible with program planning and development. While national health planners and vitamin A programs obviously cannot conduct the ethnographic protocol in every ethnic group and region in a country, the local circumstances so described by the protocol give essential rationale for program guidelines and activities.

Ultimately, programs to improve community food use and nutritional status for vitamin A are more likely to be effective and sustainable when local circumstances are considered with credible and useful data, and when the program is implemented locally.