RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY AREA
MAP 4.1: MAP OF KWAZULU-NATAL SHOWING THE LOCATION OF NHLAZUKA
4.3 Research and Methodology
The problems facing humanity are increasingly becoming complex and diverse in nature. Their perpetuation has, in one way or another necessitated the application of research so as to identify and lay the basis within which such problems could be addressed. Kitchin and Tate (2000) define research as the process of enquiry and discovery. For Neuman (2003), research is a way of going about finding answers to questions. A contextualized definition, however, is that of Mouton and Marais (1990 cited in de Vos, 2002) in their description of social science research. They define social science research as a collaborative human activity in which social reality is studied objectively with the aim of gaining a valid understanding of it. Neuman (2003) expands this with the assertion that social research involves learning something new about the social world. To do this, a researcher needs to think logically and follow rules. A researcher combines theories or ideas with facts in a systematic way and uses his or her imagination and creativity. He or she learns to organize and plan carefully and to select the appropriate techniques to address a question. In this light, research can be viewed as a systematic and important tool that plays a significant role in enhancing our knowledge and understanding of the social and natural worlds within which life exists. Geographic research, for example, is in fact one science that plays its part in explaining the complex link that exists between the social and the natural worlds (Kitchin and Tate, 2000).
The most important aspect that accords value to a research is that it is a systematic process that embraces the use of methodologies in its application. A methodology in social science research means the way in which we proceed to solve problems (de Vos, 1998). This entails the methods and techniques that are employed to guide a research process. The choice of methodology is of utmost importance in research, as it is thought to determine the outcome of the research to a large extent (Magasela, 2001). This chapter presents and describes the techniques and method used in the collection of data for this study. This research was based on the collection and analysis of data relating to the conservation and management of forest resources and their impact on the livelihoods of the Saint Bernard community in the Nhlazuka village, KwaZulu-Natal. Different research techniques were used in this study. These include both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The ranking exercise, mental mapping and venn/chappati diagram were used as components of the 84
• . * & _ . . , . . . ^.-.^ ...*
qualitative participatory techniques, while quantitative data were obtained through a questionnaire survey. The collected data has been supplemented with a range of information through the review of literature relating to the context of the study. Both the focus group discussions and the questionnaires were structured according to the broader objectives of this study. The study has focused on the following research questions.
What is the socio-economic profile of the study area?
This question basically seeks to trace the socio-economic characteristics of the community. Although rural areas are often described as being poor, it is important to note, however, that these areas are not homogenous settings but rather are characterized by different socio economic characteristics which are influenced by a number of factors such as geographical location and people's backgrounds. It is pertinent to trace the socio-economic profile of the community so as to understand the opportunities and constraints that various households in the community are presented with. Basically, the socio-economic profile of the community helps one to understand and provide an analysis of the community's conditions in as far as their development is concerned. Questions about the services that are available to the community, households sources of income and the problems facing the community in as far as development is concerned provided a picture about the state of development in Saint Bernard.
What are the main uses and needs of the forest resources in the community?
This question seeks to understand the extent to which forest resources are used in the Saint Bernard community. Forest resources provide a wide variety of benefits to rural communities. The role of forest resources to rural livelihoods is mainly explained through the direct use, indirect use, and non-use values that define their multiple roles.
Here the patterns of use of forest resources have been traced. This has in turn enabled the study to define the extent to which the forest resources contribute to the livelihoods of the Saint Bernard community.
85
What are the challenges and constraints facing the community in accessing forest resources?
In this section, the questions that relate to the issue of land ownership are discussed.
These are followed by the questions which seek to develop an understanding of the issues of general access by the community to the forest plantations, specifically the identification of major obstacles. The constraints and challenges that concern access to the indigenous forest in the community have also been examined. The issue of access by rural communities to forests that are adjacent to their location is the subject of major concern in the contemporary forestry policies and practices.
What are the conservation or restriction measures that are currently being employed?
This section looks at the strategies that are employed by the community in the conservation and management of forest resources and the impact of this on the livelihoods of the community. It is important to find out how the community addresses the issues that relate to the conservation of forest resources since the land ownership has been transferred to the control of the community.
To what extent does the community participate in decision-making relating to forestry?
Community participation is becoming one of the focus areas in contemporary forestry thinking and practice. There is a move to involve forest fringe communities in decisions about forestry issues that might affect them in one way or another. This section examines the extent to which the local community influences decisions that are made concerning forestry in and adjacent to the Saint Bernard community.
What are the impacts of commercial plantations on local livelihoods?
Generally, except for the gathering of wood and other NTFPs, the forest-fringe communities do not benefit much from the activities of commercial forestry. The minor benefits are usually witnessed through the seasonal job opportunities that are made available during both the planting and felling seasons. The small timber out- grower schemes are also being described as opening opportunities for the rural poor in forestry. There is, however, widespread concern that forest plantations, if not well monitored, are often likely to degrade the natural environment. Their impact has been
86
witnessed more on the depletion of water resources in streams that are closer to the trees. This section seeks to examine both the positive and negative impacts of the
• s \ forest plantations on the livelihoods of the Saint Bernard community.
* 4.4 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE TECHNIQUES
I Both qualitative and quantitative methods of social science research have been employed to generate data relating to the research objectives and the questions identified. According to De Vos et al (1998), the direction of the research process and the research methodology are determined by the choice of the researcher between a quantitative or qualitative, or combined quantitative-qualitative approach. In this light,
** it is pertinent to note that the choice between different research methods is largely determined by the kind of data involved or the nature of the research problem that is
* being investigated.
De Vos et al (1998) further note that in social research, all data, all factual information, all human knowledge must ultimately reach the researcher either as words or numbers. This assertion reflects the main aspects that define the focus of both the quantitative and qualitative methods. The most interesting feature about the
• ; quantitative and qualitative methods is that they are both used by social researchers to
* systematically collect, analyze empirical data and examine the patterns in them to understand and explain social life but they differ with their approach to data handling and processing. Soft data in the form of words, sentences, photos, symbols and so - forth, dictate different research strategies and data collection techniques than hard data, in the form of numbers (Neuman, 2003). The combination of both the qualitative and quantitative methods in one research study is increasingly becoming a popular
* trend in the language and practice of social research. Although there is much debate in social research about whether qualitative and quantitative approaches should, or even
| can, be combined (Ritchie, 2003), most authors agree that in real life social science i
researchers do use both quantitative and qualitative methodology, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously (De Vos et al, 1998). The protagonists of this approach such as Mouton and Marais (1990, cited in De Vos et al, 1998: 358) assert that:
87
77ze phenomena which are investigated in the social sciences are so enmeshed that a single approach can most certainly not succeed in encompassing human beings in their full complexity. It would therefore be quite futile to behave as though one approach should be canonized and another excommunicated. By adopting a point of view of convergence and complementarity we may eventually be in a position to understand more about human nature and social reality.
Ritchie (2003) supports this view and asserts that the potential of combining both the qualitative and statistical enquiry (qualitative) is more considerable in social policy research wherein many of the questions that need to be addressed require measurement of some kind but also greater understanding of the nature or origins of an issue. Each of the two research approaches provides a distinctive kind of evidence and used together they can offer a powerful resource to inform and illuminate policy and practice. In this study the two methodologies have been employed so as to create an extensive scope within which all aspects related to the objectives and questions of the study can be amply accommodated as far as possible.
4.5 Data sources •
Multiple sources of data have been used in this study. These are grouped according to primary and secondary data sources. Kitchin and Tate (2000) define primary data as the data that are generated by the researcher him/herself, whereas secondary data are defined as data that have been generated by somebody else. A wide range of secondary data and information sources that are related to this research exist. Sources such as government reports, books, journals, and other publications from organizations with a focus on forestry and rural development issues have been extensively used, particularly in the literature review section. The use of these sources has presented an understanding of the traditional approaches in forestry. The processes and issues that have influenced a new thinking in the forest sector, particularly its link to the rural development agenda and the concept of sustainable rural livelihoods as well as emphasis on contemporary participatory approaches have also been covered. Such is the case in the South African context, while the historical background of the forest sector has been uncovered right from the colonial era;
attention has also been paid to the demands of the new policies that embrace the democratic transition. The primary data for this study was attained through the use of
88
questionnaires and qualitative participatory techniques. The latter includes focus group discussions, ranking exercise, mental mapping and venn diagram.