This initiative drew upon a research platform featuring mixed methods, participatory tools, and anthropological questions. Purposive sampling was used to hone in on 4 different groups of small-scale poultry producers, including: 1) those in areas with high human and poultry densities, small holdings of household poultry, and significant cross-border poultry movements in the area and no HPAI outbreaks to date; 2) those in villages and districts that have had first-hand experience of outbreaks of HPAI; 3) those in places with high proportions of households relying on backyard poultry production for income; and 4) backyard farmers, migrant labourers, and local authorities from 5 villages in 3 districts in the Rattanakiri province. Participant groups were defined, and study sites were selected, in consultation with FAO Trainers for Village Animal Health Workers. Each trainer offered specific insights about the dynamics and characteristics of their respective provinces. Samples were drawn from communities with large minority populations.

Sensitivity to local context was key in this effort to directly involve communities in the development of policies and practices that will affect them. Permission and assistance from commune and village chiefs were sought to organise small groups and future meetings. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were initially divided by gender for several reasons. These participatory FGDs were held in "natural" settings for community gatherings and generally took place outdoors in the shade of a tree, in a public space like a pagoda or schoolhouse, or in the shade under someone's house. Multiple observations and key informant interviews were also conducted with poultry buyers and vendors.

Findings from this process (which are detailed further in the Key Points section, below) included the following: to better bridge the gap between high awareness and risky practices, communicators should build on these pre-existing understandings or practices and raise awareness of why the behaviour promoted in a message makes sense from the intended audience's point of view. Based on such insights, FAO revised its training curriculum for Village Animal Health Workers. Also, FAO developed a storyline designed to be communicated through a montage of posters showing how the HPAI virus can be transmitted from poultry to poultry and from poultry to humans - and the simple measures that villagers can take to control and prevent the spread of avian flu. The storyline is used in community forums in remote areas which have limited access to radio and television, and in village meetings led by local authorities. To reinforce the messages promoted by the storyline, materials such as leaflets and tee-shirts have been developed using illustrations from the storyline. In addition, FAO produced a video in English highlighting the findings and recommendations of the study. The film has been shown in international meetings and has been translated into French

Natural Resource Management, Health.

Here is a brief summary of the study's recommendations, which FAO claims can "easily be applied to other community contexts":

1. "Work with the local taxonomy, esp. dan kor kach and pdash sai back sei: Dan kor kach (Newcastle Disease) is a seasonal sickness with heavy mortality, generally regarded as natural and harmless to humans (though harmful to livelihood). It is seen as impossible to prevent and difficult to treat. Pdash sai back sey (Avian Influenza) is a new term that is confused with dan kor kach.
2. Encourage a shift from a 'naturalistic' to a 'contagion' model of poultry death: The naturalistic model entails a treatment model of response. The contagion model lends itself to a prevention model of response.
3. Focus on risk-perception, not fear
4. Work with the indigenous sensibility that 'hearing is just hearing; seeing is believing'
5. Consider different approaches to households that rely on poultry as assets from those that rely on poultry for income
6. Gender should be a primary consideration in developing and evaluating IEC materials and communication strategy
7. Pioneer alternative solutions to the simple 'separation' messages
8. Connect messages to local values and priorities: 'Family prosperity and well-being' is by far the best candidate for linking priority messages to a value for which people would indeed go to great lengths."