Malawi Focus Group Discussions Data: Dataset

Abstract

A series of focus group discussions (FGDs) to elicit the local knowledge about the agricultural and wild biodiversity present in the study areas in order to generate: (a) an inventory (list) of all useful plant, animal, insect and aquatic species used by local communities for human food, animal feed, medicine, fuel, housing, farming tools, etc. and their local names; (b) an inventory of all foods consumed; (c) an inventory of species and products bought and sold in markets that people in the village attend. All the FGDs were held separately for men and women in order to collect gender disaggregated data. Focus group discussions carried out in the selected EPAs/sections. Information was collected on the useful species grown/collected/managed in the target sections/villages. For common and well-known species, the name and a photo of each species were recorded in the list of useful plants in the target communities. There groups were split into two: one of males and one of females. Each group dealt with the four aspects for discussion: (a) Useful biological diversity in the production system (b) Dietary diversity (c)Market diversity. Four extension planning areas in the Ntcheu District of Malawi were surveyed: Manjawira, Nsipe, Sharpevale and Tsangano.