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Uplifting Livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples in Sri Lanka

Eranga Galappaththi, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, is a recipient of the ICAT major seed grant for the year 2024-2025. The award-winning project, titled "Uplifting Livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples in Sri Lanka," has two main objectives: i) To complete preliminary field data collection in Sri Lanka to gain a fundamental understanding of how Indigenous Peoples can benefit from using internet technology, ii) To co-develop a large-scale grant proposal with Sri Lankan Indigenous communities for future submission to an NSF program. Since his prior visits in the summer of 2023, Eranga has formed partnerships with nine Indigenous communities in Sri Lanka. Throughout his interactions, he noted the limited access to internet technology among Indigenous peoples. Yet, only a few community leaders with internet access, typically via smartphones, manage to significantly improve their livelihoods through activities such as farming, fishing, and collecting bee honey. Although most Indigenous households possess cell phones, these are rarely smartphones, which limits their potential for livelihood advancement. Currently, there are no systematic programs to assist these communities in harnessing available technological resources, a gap that many are unaware of how to bridge. To address this, the ICAT seed grant will support Eranga in conducting a month-long field study in the summer of 2024 aimed at gathering initial empirical data on technical know-how, infrastructure availability, and livelihoods among Indigenous communities by employing key informant interviews and focus group discussions. 

In conducting the study Eranga has established collaborations with Prof. Kim L. Niewolny from the Department of Agriculture, Leadership and Community Education. Prof. Niewolny offers guidance on community-based participatory research processes, project evaluation, and insights into food systems-community development related to technology. She will also bring resources from the Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation to support these efforts. Two graduate students are also a part of this project. Sithuni Jayasekara, a graduate student in the Department of Geography, will participate in fieldwork alongside Eranga. Having visited Sri Lanka in the summer of 2023, she has already established community partnerships with Indigenous communities. Her prior experience in community-based participatory research, particularly with Indigenous communities in Sri Lanka, will be invaluable for successful data collection during the fieldwork. Chrishma Perera, a graduate student in the Department of Geography, will contribute to the project through data analysis and the development of community tech profiles. 

The project is aligned with ICAT's focus areas of engaging communities and designing a more sustainable world. It emphasizes substantial community engagement and collaborative research design to address community needs. Additionally, the project aims to significantly impact society by identifying opportunities to enhance the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples in Sri Lanka through technological interventions. Using a community-based participatory approach, the project seeks to engage more meaningfully with Indigenous Peoples and co-create a sustainable research design for a large-scale NSF proposal while also supporting Global Sustainable Development Goals 09, 11, and 17, furthering its broader relevance.

Midterm report

Prepared by: Eranga K. Galappaththi (Contact PI) 
Prepared for: ICAT 
Date of report: December 6, 2024 

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 

The project aims to collaboratively develop community research partnerships with Sri Lankan Indigenous  peoples, focusing on advancing internet usage for livelihood activities in the context of climate change.  This project has two specific objectives. 

Objective 1 [O1]: To complete preliminary field data collection in Sri Lanka to obtain a fundamental understanding of how IPs can benefit from using internet technology. This effort will involve collecting preliminary empirical data on technical know-how, infrastructure availability, and livelihoods among Indigenous communities. This data will help in developing a better understanding of the most up-to-date conditions that IPs face in Sri Lanka, answering key questions such as “to what extent do IPs incorporate internet on livelihoods?” “community perspectives on technological adaptations such as the internet” and “what are the limits and barriers for IPs to use the internet for livelihood activities?” This objective will develop “community tech profiles” specific to each community. Community tech profiles include information such as the availability of devices (smart phones, computers), availability of network coverage, availability of technological service providers, accessibility to technological service providers, available communication media, and technological usage in livelihoods (e.g., for precision agriculture). 

Objective 2 [O2]: To co-develop a large-scale grant proposal with Sri Lankan Indigenous communities for future submission to an NSF program. 

This includes identifying research objectives and appropriate methodologies through initial conceptualization, planning and community collaboration, and international partnership-building activities. Specifically, the large-scale grant proposal refers to the development of the first draft of the 15-page proposal at the end of the project. 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER THE OBJECTIVES 

Objective 1: The research team conducted fieldwork in Sri Lanka from July 10 to August 11, 2024, visiting  six Indigenous Vedda communities. The Virginia Tech team included Principal Investigator (PI) Eranga  Galappaththi and Graduate Student Sithuni Mimasha. 

The fieldwork began with a meeting with the national Indigenous Vedda chief to present the project idea,  obtain informed consent, and seek his blessings, adhering to local traditions. The team received a  positive response from the chief. 

Before traveling to Sri Lanka, the team secured Institutional Review Board approval (IRB #24-590) from  Virginia Tech and developed methodological tools, including questionnaires and a topic guide for key  informant interviews. 

During the fieldwork, the team: 

  • Collected preliminary empirical data on technical knowledge, infrastructure availability, and  livelihoods within six Indigenous communities. 
  • Completed 62 questionnaires targeting Indigenous farmers, fishers, wild honey collectors, and  other community members engaged in diverse livelihood activities. 
  • Conducted 14 key informant interviews with individuals involved in various technological  applications within Indigenous communities. 

The data from questionnaires and interviews are securely stored on external hard drives. The team is  preparing to transcribe the data and upload it into NVivo software for thematic analysis. This analysis  aims to address critical questions, such as:

  1. To what extent do Indigenous peoples (IPs) incorporate the internet into their livelihoods?
  2. What are the community perspectives on technological adaptations like the internet? 3. What are the barriers and limitations for IPs in using the internet for livelihood activities? 

Objective 2: Currently, there is no progress to report on Objective 2. 

PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD 

To achieve the objectives outlined, the following steps are planned: 

Objective 1: Developing Community Tech Profiles 

The Principal Investigator (PI) and the research team will: 

  • Conduct NVivo analysis to synthesize findings. 
  • Develop "community tech profiles" specific to each community. These profiles will include critical  information such as: 
    • Availability of devices (e.g., smartphones, computers). 
    • Network coverage and accessibility to technological service providers. 
    • Available communication media. 
    • Use of technology in livelihoods (e.g., precision agriculture). 

Objective 2: Co-Developing a Large-Scale Grant Proposal 

Building on the community tech profiles from O1, the PI and team will travel to Sri Lanka to conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in collaboration with Indigenous communities. This process includes  the following steps: 

  • Community Selection and Logistics 
    • FGDs will be conducted in three selected communities, with feasibility as a key criterion.  
    • The PI will spend 21 days in the field (7 days per community). 
    • Two local research assistants and two translators (English-Vedda language) will be hired per community. 
  • Focus Group Discussions 
    • A total of six FGDs (two per community) will be organized to incorporate community  insights into the project design. 
    • Focus Group 1 (FGD-1): Co-Identifying Research Objectives 
      • Objective: Align research problems with community goals related to internet  technology and livelihoods. 
      • Activities: 
        • Present community tech profiles and identify strengths, barriers, and goals. 
        • Facilitate multiple meetings, if necessary, to ensure depth in discussions. 
      • Participants: 5-10 community members per session, purposively sampled for  gender and age diversity based on leaders' recommendations. 
      • Duration: 1-2 hours per meeting, held in community halls or school buildings. • Role of local assistants: Facilitate translation, note-taking, coordination, and  managing power imbalances. 
    • Focus Group 2 (FGD-2): Co-Identifying Methods and Ethical Considerations • Objective: Determine the most suitable research methods and ethical practices. • Discussion Points: 
      • a) Suggested methods (e.g., participant observation, drawing workshops). 
      • b) Evaluation of methods for feasibility, effectiveness, and contextual fit  
      • (e.g., positionality and power dynamics). 
      • c) Ethical considerations specific to each method (e.g., privacy and confidentiality). 
    • Format: Same as FGD-1 in terms of participants, duration, and location. 
      • Documentation and Analysis 
      • With participant consent, FGDs will be voice-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed  using textual content analysis to ensure alignment with community insights.
  • Outcomes and Feedback 
    • The results of FGDs, including co-developed research questions and methods, will be  summarized and shared with community leaders for feedback. 
    • A one-page project proposal (including objectives and methodologies) will be drafted and  translated for community review. 
    • Feedback from Indigenous leaders will be incorporated before submission to NSF  (Solicitation: 23-609). 
  • Proposal Development 
    • The PI will create a full 15-page project proposal for NSF submission, incorporating  feedback from both community leaders and NSF representatives. 

Ethical Considerations 

All research activities will adhere to principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and prioritize  ethical practices, including: 

  • Privacy, confidentiality, and anonymity. 
  • Reflexivity and cultural sensitivity. 
  • Addressing gender relations and power dynamics within the research process. 

By integrating community-driven insights and addressing ethical considerations, this approach aims to  ensure that the research is both meaningful and impactful for the communities involved.

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