Updates from the field in Ethiopia: Social science research in the time of COVID
Recently, UConn PhD students, Ezana Atsbeha and Selam Negatu, returned from Ethiopia after lengthy ethnographic data collection. Here are some highlights from them about collecting data on the latest dry season forecast bulletin communication with the Covid-19 hurdles.
Ezana writes about his return to the field site to share the project’s most recent forecast bulletins. The names are pseudonyms.
After an hour-long drive from Bahir Dar to Dangila, I picked up my key informant by the town’s biggest hotel and we drove to the woreda agriculture office compound. The day being a Saturday, the road was crowded with market-goers, and three-wheeled Bajajes weaving in and out of traffic. As we arrived at the agriculture office, I saw four men hanging around a half-finished building. I recognized two of them right away, one was Endale, a pleasant older man who leads one of the teams at the woreda agriculture office, and with whom I have worked during the previous forecast communication sessions. The second, a quiet young man, I met once in Gaita where he was an extension worker. I walked over to them and greeted everyone, while apologetically explaining that I cannot shake their hands due to COVID. Endale, in his usual humorous manner, pulled out a mask from his pocket and loudly proclaimed “Ezana, let me wear my mask, lest people say you are the only crazy guy here.” Everybody laughed at this, and one of the men I did not recognize stood up for me, jokingly rebuking Endale. I asked how things have been regarding COVID here, and Endale explained that they had a few scares, but nothing serious. One of their colleagues tested positive and the office was shut down for a while. The person was released from quarantine without many health problems, and life continued as usual. After more small talk, I suggested we hold the meeting in the unfinished building since the day was nice and we have more space there. Teshale, one of our key informants, told me not to worry much but agreed to my proposal. The others followed us to the building. I sat on one side of the room on a cinderblock, and they, on a wooden bench on the opposite side, while all the time reassuring me not to worry too much about the pandemic. As I was getting ready to start the meeting, Endale remarked that people are now used to my mask, and removed his, to even more laughter from the other participants.
Selam writes about how she shifted to collecting data by phone with the help of local key informants.
Starting from mid-March when the first COVID cases were reported in Ethiopia, all fieldwork activities were put on hold, and I was forced to return to Addis Ababa. Instead of doing face-to-face interviews and observations, I adapted to my new working condition by doing informal conversations and conducting interviews with farmers and extension workers over the phone. Throughout this process, I had relied on the willingness and cooperation of key informants like kebele and woreda level extension workers to establish and maintain contact with farmers and remain informed of ongoing events taking place in each kebeles. One extension worker from the woreda especially was instrumental in contacting farmers by traveling to and from Dangila and even providing his own phone to allow me to conduct interviews with respondents. He also assisted in obtaining relevant woreda and kebele documents. This experience thus showed how indispensable the people that we work with are at the local level. It particularly highlighted the importance of establishing trust and good working relationships with local extension workers in the field. Without their cooperation and assistance at this particular time, it would have been impossible to continue gathering all the necessary information needed to complete my research activities on time.
Categories: News
Published: November 1, 2020