With about 60 event participants, Maria Teresa Solis Soto from Universidad Mayor Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca in Bolivia, provided an introductory overview of the project’s objectives and methods. The aim was to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the risk of zoonotic diseases, wildlife trade, and consumption, in urban, rural, and indigenous communities in Latin America. To achieve this, the project implemented mixed methods in the lowland areas of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Guatemala. These methods included collecting quantitative baseline data, conducting in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and organizing focus group discussions and round tables.
Based on the results, innovative, context-specific approaches were developed to educate communities and co-construct behavioral change strategies to raise awareness and influence behavior. Additionally, the project facilitated spaces for the exchange of experiences, challenges, and solutions identified during the implementation of the KAP Wildlife project across the diverse cultural contexts of the countries mentioned above.
Representatives from each country shared their insights from two years of working on the ground. During the presentations, video footage from impressive landscapes and with in-depth testimonies were shared.
Here you can find the key takeaways:
Marcia Adler, Bolivia:
- Joint Planning with Local Authorities: Crucial for project involvement and sustainability.
- Flexibility and Patience: Essential when working with local Authorities.
- Local Collaboration: Working with local people fosters trust and leverages their knowledge.
- Enhanced Institutional Communication: To better address zoonotic disease knowledge gaps, especially among younger populations.
Denise Siqueira de Carvalho, Brazil:
- Close Work with Local Communities: Conducted interviews to assess their knowledge.
- High Awareness: Some communities demonstrated a strong awareness of zoonotic disease risks and transmission.
Pilar Mansilla, Chile:
- Community Collaboration: Despite challenges in conducting interviews, working closely with communities was emphasized.
Carlos Roberto Vásquez Almazán, Guatemala:
- Building Trust: Overcoming challenges such as language barriers and rural accessibility.
- Culturally Sensitive Interviewing: Using interviewers fluent in indigenous languages and trusted by the community.
The Q&A session
The Q&A session revealed unexpected challenges, such as:
- Trust Issues: Difficulty in gaining the trust of local communities.
- Access Problems: Obstacles like floods preventing access to certain areas.
- Community Priorities: Balancing the project with the limited time and differing priorities of community members.
Maria emphasized the need for a collaborative culture between scientists and local communities, to work together on solutions, recognizing the complexity and varying priorities within communities.
Watch the recording in the members area and If you have any further questions or if you would like to get in touch with the project leads, please contact the Secretariat via alliance-health-wildlife@giz.de