Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Publication Title
African Geographical Review
Keywords
community-based management, participatory GIS, smallholder agriculture, sociocultural context, traditional spatial ecological knowledge
Abstract
Rural environments are experiencing rapid changes that must be explored to understand, enhance, and facilitate positive changes and adapt to detrimental changes. However, the information researchers can obtain about the environment to identify effective management strategies for rural resources is hindered by several factors. Participatory geospatial research presents an approach that integrates local voices to map the facts and values of rural people and represent environmental changes. Here, we draw on more than six years of participatory geospatial research in rural northern Malawi to identify and present various considerations that participatory geospatial researchers and planners should be mindful of when working with rural people to enhance participation in research and improve spatial data accuracy. Based on experiences using various research methods and activities applied in several transdisciplinary collaborative research projects, we posit that rural geospatial researchers should keenly consider i) ethical issues concerning data collection, analysis, and representation, e.g. taboos and sacred spaces, ii) integrating local spatial ecological knowledge of people about the environment, and iii) economic conflicts and gender dynamics that tend to disempower and limit participation in research and affect data quality. Considering these would build rapport between participants and researchers to facilitate active participation and data accuracy.
DOI
10.1080/19376812.2024.2423288
Recommended Citation
Kpienbaareh, D., Luginaah, I., & Bezner Kerr, R. (2024). Considerations for enhancing participation and data accuracy in geospatial research in rural areas: experiences with PGIS in northern Malawi. African Geographical Review, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/19376812.2024.2423288
Comments
First published in African Geographical Review (2024): https://doi.org/10.1080/19376812.2024.2423288