Considerations for enhancing participation and data accuracy in geospatial research in rural areas: experiences with PGIS in northern Malawi

Abstract

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.