The programme of work will involve the collection of new qualitative and quantitative data, as well as secondary analysis of existing quantitative and qualitative data. Our data collection will involve the following six methods:
1. Participatory research framework development exercises undertaken with key stakeholders: We will undertake two exercises (one in each city). The preparatory work will involve:
- Compilation of existing datasets and associated methods, including hydrological data, UMT data, Satellite Imagery, Census data, hospital admission records and grey literatures; and
- Following Lane et al. (2011), recruitment of neighbourhood-based experts to interpret existing datasets and methods from a grassroots perspective – they will also contribute in other data collection activities (especially methods 2, 5 and 6 – see below).
- The exercises will involve local stakeholders, research partners and the community-based experts. The purpose is threefold: sharpening research approach; case study selection and piloting; and developing an initial set of design principles that characterise successful institutional structures. We will follow Ostrom’s (2005) ‘institutional diversity’ framework as the starting point to identify relevant attributes based on grey literature and pilot datasets.
2. UMT mapping and identification of ecosystem networks/corridors: This has two purposes:
- Construction of temporal pictures of the changes in urban green and water structures, and development of matrices of derived services and changes over time. Community-based experts will add insights into this. The CLUVA project has helped produce data on Dar for 2002 and 2008- we will add data for 2014/15 to this series. We will repeat the methodology (Cavan et al., 2012) for Dhaka to develop a similar series.
- Land cover assessments within UMT classes to establish the nature and type of structures within other units. Combined with hydrological data, this will provide a basis for establishing the ecological networks/corridors.
3. Participatory appraisal of wellbeing-ecosystem links with groups of people
- Participants will be selected using a snow-ball sampling strategy, with specific attention to gender and age balance. We will conduct two exercises with each group- the number of will be decided based on the population size and following Moser and Stein (2011):
- Listing and ranking of what wellbeing gains poor people have been drawing from the green and water ecosystems identified; and
- Institutional mapping of the collective action/ co-production arrangements at the neighbourhood level and above- reflecting people’s struggles over land use, negotiation of incentives and trade-offs, and management practices.
4. Interviews with key informants and case studies of relevant institutions
- We will undertake detailed case studies of all examples of collective actions and/or co-production (identified above) in which the urban poor are and/or were involved in our case study settlements. We will build on the qualitative methods applied in ClimUrb and CLUVA projects.
5. Lab- and survey-based diagnosis of food contamination and soil and water pollution:
- To measure the extent of health risk from exposure to pollutants, we will collect food, water and soil samples (accompanied by a short questionnaire to capture the socio-economic profile of the sample household). We shall engage with community-based experts to identify the sample size and locations. Islam et al. (2012) will offer the methodological guidelines for collection and analysis. Food and soil samples will be analysed at certified laboratories in both cities for key microbiological and physico-chemical parameters. Water samples will be tested on the spot using the DelAqua Portable Water Testing Kit. Data will be interpreted by:
- Developing descriptive statistics on spatio-temporal variations in pollutant loading and food contamination by gender and age cohort. We will also explain whether collective action and/or co-production by type have any impact on similar cohorts across the settlements.
- Developing mathematical models for undertaking scenario analysis – using the PUrE tool (Azapagic et al., 2013) – to explain and predict the concentration and transfer of the pollutants along the ecosystem network/corridor of interest. Hydrological data, UMTs and other forms of secondary data will help us define the independent variables.
6. Dialogues with members of local academic communities, policy-makers and civil society organisations and low income urban residents:
- We will reconvene data collection step 1 but invite more participants, in particular relevant NGO/municipal community officers/caseworkers, media professionals and think-tanks. We will conduct one exercise in each city, where we will:
- Identify the elements of relevant expertise distributed within the society. This can be measured by the level (and significance) of contribution (of our community-based experts);
- Identify the mechanism for trust building between scientists and the public, measured by the degree of ownership and ease of understanding experienced by both parties; and
- Draw up an institutional framework for scientists, civil society and policy-makers to capture and nurture community-based expertise for the benefit of urban ecosystems and the urban poor alike. We will build on the grassroots-based professionalism of Laurie et al. (2005).