The focus group technique is a form of qualitative research method. However, the number of participants involved in a focus group is more than one, usually from six to twelve participants. The discussion is based on topics, and the researcher takes the role of a moderator. The use of group interaction for specific topics produces data and insights (Morgan 1997).
According to Rice and Ezzy (1999), a focus group interview has a wide variety of different significant features. Firstly, a relatively small number of people are involved in an in-depth discussion. Secondly, the success of a group discussion depends on the interaction between different participants on the same issues, rather than individuals answering the moderator‟s questions. Interaction is a unique feature of focus group interviews, which distinguishes the method from individual, in-depth interviews. The process of interaction assists participants to explore and clarify their points of view and bounce ideas off each other. Thirdly, the moderator plays an important role in FGDs. They introduce the topic and guide the participants to discuss it, encouraging interaction and guiding the conversation.
FGDs are also able to be utilised in a variety of ways for different purposes. According to Rice and Ezzy (1999), FGDs can be used as a “self-contained” method, a “supplementary” source of data, or in “multi-method” studies. A self-contained method is applied to obtain primary data so as to examine research questions from the perspectives of participants as well as to explore new research areas. Supplementary
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sources of data can be used as a source of preliminary data in qualitative research. More frequently, FGDs are applied to generate survey questionnaires. They may be used for developing a programme or intervention. Finally, FGDs are used in “multi-method” studies, where a combination of several approaches is used to collect information.
There is a wide range of research using FGDs in various studies in the VMD. For example, studies examining the impact of changes of water policies on farmers‟ livelihoods in the coastal zone in the VMD used FGDs (Hoanh et al. 2003), and applying FGDs to enhance understanding of the livelihood resilience of people living in flood zones in the VMD (Kien & James 2013).
Applying focus group discussion to the study
FGDs in this study were undertaken across six communes with three mini-workshops in each commune. The first included representatives of mass organisations and local authorities such as FUs, WUs, AECs, ACs, FCs, and LSFs. The purpose of working with these organisational units was to determine suitable farmer organisations that had collective farming activities comprising selecting the same seasonal calendar, pumping water, operating internal credit, implementing services of input supply or output supply, and having contract farming. Most of the collective farming activities were relevant to adapting to threats or constraints in relation to climate variability, flood and saline conditions, and markets for rice or shrimp.
After conducting the first FGDs with heads of mass organisations and local authorities, I undertook two more FGDs in each commune. A first focus group was conducted with members of ACs, LSFs, or FCs (Table 3.3). The second was general farmers (non-members) who had not engaged in these farmer organisations. FGDs had from 6 to 11 participants (Table 3.3), and the time for discussion was around one hour and 30 minutes. The majority of members of ACs, LSFs, and FCs who participated in the workshops of FGDs were men, and less than 40% of general farmers attending workshops of FGDs were women.
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Table 3.3: Number of participants engaged in focus group discussions in each of the six communes
Group
An Giang Can Tho Bac Lieu
Total Vinh Trach (FC) Ta Danh (FC) Thoi Tan (AC) Truong Xuan A (LSFs) Hoa Binh (FC) Phuoc Long (AC) Head of mass organisations & local authorities 10 11 8 8 9 5 51 Members of farmer organisation 6 (1) 8 6 11 6 5 42 General farmers 8 8 7 (4) 10 (3) 8 (1) 6 47 Total 24 27 21 29 23 16 140
Source: Focus group discussion in 2015 and 2016
Note: AC: Agricultural cooperative; FC: Farmer club; and LSFs: Large-sized farms model. Numbers in brackets are the number of females in each FGD
Based on the usage of focus groups by Rice and Ezzy (1999), multi-methods were used in FGDs in this present study. The data and information from the first FGDs with representatives of mass organisations were utilised to clarify questions in the questionnaires of household surveys. In contrast, the two later FGDs were “self- contained” with members of farmer organisations (ACs, FCs, and LSFs) and general farmers (note that FGDs with members of farmer organisations were conducted before those with general farmers). Additionally, FGDs confirmed the results of household surveys for each research site, and provided deeper insights for a wide range of different factors relevant to decision-making for farming activities, and threats such as climate variability and access to local markets.
The FGDs were conducted at the homes of farmers, communal houses in villages, or in meeting rooms of the People‟s Committee of the commune. The process of the FGDs followed a range of steps. Firstly, the moderators introduced themselves and the research objectives. In FGDs we used a large sheet of paper stuck on the wall to record on all the information and data so that it was easy for visualisation and discussion. We implemented different tools for different general questions to discuss with participants such as seasonal calendars, timelines, webs of networks of farmer organisations, and cause and effect analysis. During the discussion, the moderator in this study relied on perspectives of the research sites and participants‟ perceptions of perspectives so as to suggest key questions for the majority of participants to be able to
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engage in the discussion. The tools and questions for discussion were arranged in the following sections.
Question 1 enabled me to attain an understanding of the seasonal calendar of farming systems in each of the three provinces, and factors influencing paddy in each rice and shrimp crop (Table 3.4). Then, the information and data enabled me to understand the process of farmers‟ decision-making for rice-based farming systems because farmers in the VMD are not familiar with the term, “decision-making”. They regularly use: “What did they do?”, “Why did they do it?”, and, “How do they select or do this or that activity?”.
Question 2 in Table 3.4 allowed me to identify factors affecting the process of farmers‟ decision-making to change farming systems and farming activities in each farming system such as the improvement of rice varieties, technical knowledge, and combine harvesters for harvesting rice. In addition, infrastructure development was also a key element including canals and dykes for protecting rice from floods, sluice gates controlling saline water, and irrigation.
Question 3 in Table 3.4 helped me explore the main threats such as high temperature, drought, flood, abnormally heavy rains, and access to markets. In addition, through the interaction between members, I could identify more detail in social relations between members of farmer organisations, and between farmer organisations and general farmers (i.e., non-members) in communities.
Question 4 in Table 3.4 enabled me to obtain insights into the process of farmers‟ collective and individual decision-making for farming activities in each rice crop of members of farmer organisations and general farmers.
Question 5 in Table 3.4 allowed me to be able to understand the main solutions that farmers used to overcome barriers from threats in cultivating farming systems.
Generally, these questions are typically abstract questions with farmers. Therefore, depending on the context of the local area, I had to use specific questions in order to help farmers understand and discuss (see appendix 1).
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Table 3.4: List of main guide questions for the FGDs
Question Description of the questionnaire
Q1 How regular was the seasonal calendar? How have climatic factors, floods, saline
intrusion, common insects, diseases, pests, and crops varied in different months in recent years?
Q2 How did farmers change rice-based farming systems? What are the relevant
factors in the development process of increasing from one to three rice crops or other farming systems in a commune?
Q3 What were the main constraints for farmers in rice crop farming?
Q4 How do farmers make collective and individual decisions for farming activities?
Q5 How did farmers regularly solve barriers in adapting and coping with threats such
as climate variability, market access, and shortage of labour?