Local community
Description of the sites covered in the PAPUSSA-project
The knowledge and content in this case study about production of
edible aquatic plants was mainly produced in the PAPUSSA (Production
in Aquatic Peri-Urban Systems in Southeast Asia)-project.
For the PAPUSSA project initial Participatory Community Appraisals
(PCA’s) were carried out in the selected aquatic plant growing
communities in each of the 4 cities. This involved initial key
informant interviews then taking a cross section of individual
households for a baseline questionnaire and a series then of focal
and group activities collecting socioeconomic and cultural data
which could then better inform the project. This included collecting
information on: general characteristics of the household and its
members and the productions system they were involved in, history
timeline and important events affecting the community,
classification of poverty and prosperity, festivals, community
health, seasonal activities calender, food consumption and sources,
daily work activities and finally the main challenges and problems
faced within the community. The findings are many but can be found
in the PCA reports available on the PAPUSSA website. However below
are a selection of these findings.
The map (left) depicts the overall study area, 4 South-East Asian
cities.