TITLE: COVID-19: gendered risks, impact & response in the Indo-Pacific

HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE APPROVAL NUMBER: 2021/147

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:
Prof. Sara Davies and Assoc. Prof. Robin E Roberts

Focus Moderators Outline

Female Farmers Participants
in 4 provinces across Papua New Guinea

Group Session: 90 to 120 minutes

Format: Face to face Focus Group
Interviewers: Two persons. 1 person to facilitate discussion. 1 person to take notes and manage audio
recording.
Number of participants: 6 female farmers for each province. Minimum age requirement for
participation: 18 years of age or above.
Method: Manual notes. Each Focus Group needs to be assigned a code (three letter country and
province acronym, and occupation) i.e. PNG MAG Farmers with Time and Date of session. In your notes
assign an identifier code for each participant, i.e. Farmer 1, Farmer 2, and so on. Take notes on body
language where appropriate. Ensure recording device is located in centre of the group
Facilitation: Encourage group participants to have a voice in the discussion. Be careful to manage ‘big
talkers’ who may speak over or more than others. You can direct your gaze to those who are quiet and
smile to encourage their contribution.

Preparation to commence Group Session [10 minutes]

1. Welcome the participants and thank them sincerely for their time
2. Serve any beverages or snacks before the participants sit down for the session
3. Advise the participants of the study detail – including the lead organisation/s (Griffith University
& HausKuk Initiative) and the funding body (ACIAR) for the study.
4. Ask permission from the group to record the session – in ‘audio’ only not video.
5. Advise participants it is important to respect the privacy and opinions of others shared in the
focus group sessions.
6. Present the ethics Consent Form and Project Information Sheet. Remember to collect each
signed Consent Form and keep for our records.
7. Questions may arise from participants, please answer and respond to any questions, this may
include - confidentiality, recordings, and/ or feedback.

Once the interviewees are ready then you may begin the recording.

1
Introduction [5 minutes]
Good morning/afternoon and welcome to this focus group session.
This a discussion format where participants may explore their experiences and attitudes towards an
important topic: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on you as women farmers.
Today we would like to discuss your experiences during first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to
learn how the lockdowns and travel restrictions in response to COVID-19 pandemic may have affected
your experience of food affordability; your income and family expenses; your care burdens; and your
business decisions.

Demographic Data Collection. First, could we please (verbally) record some details from each of you:
1. Age. Please tell us your age group: 18-24 OR 25-44 OR 45-65 OR Above 60
2. Farmer. Please tell us are you a landowner or tenant farmer?
3. What is the primary produce you farm?
4. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
Primary school; Secondary school; or Tertiary?

Theme 1 – Access to and affordability of Food. Opening Question [15 – 20 mins]

Thinking back to last year about the impact of COVID-19 on your community over the period from (DATE
selected according to beginning of COVID-19 impact in that province) to now…What changes did you
notice to the cost of food and access to food at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Let the conversation flow where possible. Probe and explore topics that relate to:
- Affordability of food over this period
- Costs – either rising or lowering or no change
- Access to food – were individuals worried about access to food
Experience as farmers

Note: the above themes can be prompted but wait and see what emerges from the conversation before
prompting. Allow time for each member from the group to speak up.

Theme 2 – Family expenses [15 – 20 mins]

Last year, during the first lockdown period in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, what were your main
concerns about the impact on your family’s money or funds?

Probe and explore experiences of higher or additional costs that may relate to:
- expense of purchasing personal protective equipment
- cost of pesticides and seed
- mobile or internet access
- produce losses
- land rent (if applicable)

2
Note: amongst the group, were the individual experiences of farmer respondents different? The above
themes can be prompted but wait and see what emerges from the conversation before prompting.

Theme 3 – Care burdens [15 – 20 mins]

During the first lockdown in 2020, all schools were closed for (DATE selected according to beginning of
COVID-19 impact in that province). Among those of you with school aged children, do you remember
how you coped with looking after school aged children and farming?

Probe and explore:

- During the lockdown, did women experience a rise in their household tasks?

Theme 4 - Decision making [15 – 20 mins]

Could we please discuss a little more about the impact of COVID-19 on family’s money. Did you notice
personally or hear others talk about people having less money to spend and/or save?

Probe and explore:

- Did women have to take on additional work to supplement their income?
- Did women have to stop spending money on particular items? If yes, gently probe which items.
Did women access welfare from government – what welfare did they seek?
Did women seek support from other groups (i.e. religious) to meet needs?
Do women have control of family money?

Note: Some may feel uncomfortable talking about this topic. Remind people that they can talk about
experiences that they have heard of raised by others.

Final Questions [10 – 15 mins]

What are your hopes for yourself and your family?

Probe and explore:

What services and/or welfare support would best assist participants right now?

Summary [5 mins]

Is there is anything else that you would like to discuss? Are there experiences of living during the first
year of COVID-19 that you would like to add that we have not yet heard?

Sincerely thank the participants for their time. Remind them that the conversation was recorded but no
one will be identified by name in the final report.

If there are beverages and snacks left over, invite them again to help themselves.

End the recording.