Maps are powerful and engaging visual
tools that excel in communicating spatial
knowledge. They offer a visual, readily
understandable language that can be
interpreted by people from all backgrounds,
whether community members, government
officials, non-governmental organizations,
researchers or development practitioners.
Both the audience(s) to whom the map is
made available and the manner through
which information is collected and
displayed will depend on the objectives that
community members, often in association
with project staff, identify for the map.
The objectives, in turn will shape how
communities develop and implement an
associated communication strategy. These
objectives can range from archiving and
preserving oral histories to communicating
community spatial knowledge in order
to influence decision-making processes
involving government officials or other
external agencies. The mapping objectives must be considered alongside the availability
of resources and the acceptability and
appropriateness of various techniques within
the community.
This section will discuss four steps that
facilitators and community members may
wish to follow in order to formulate a
procedure for collecting and communicating
information related to a participatory
mapping project.
It is important to keep in mind that the
communication strategy will overlay the entire
participatory mapping process, including each
of the five steps outlined in The IFAD adaptive
approach to participatory mapping (IFAD, 2010).
These five steps are:
• Project design, which involves choosing
the most suitable participatory mapping
tool, determining what needs the
map will meet and how this will be
achieved, as well as allocating sufficient
funds to complete both mapping and
communication objectives;