Data Collection Notes
The NRVA 2011-12 field staff consisted of two mixed interview couples and one field supervisor for each of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. The field operations were supervised by nine Regional Statistical Officers (RSOs), who were selected from the Provincial Statistical Officers (PSOs). In addition, NRVA staff from CSO Headquarters performed monthly monitoring missions for direct feedback to interviewers and supervisors.
The survey instrument consisted of paper questionnaires for households, male and female community Shuras (councils) and commodity prices in the nearest market place. The male interviewers administered the interviews with the male household representative and the female interviewers those with female household representative and other eligible female household members. In addition, a female interviewer conducted the female Shura interviews, whereas the supervisor usually administered the male Shura interviews. The supervisors were also responsible for collecting the market prices.
Each of the field teams had a monthly interview target of 50 household interviews in 5 selected clusters, resulting in a national monthly total of 1,700 household interviews. Data collection started in April 2011. Progress in the first months was slow due to a variety of reasons, including access problems related to insecurity and physical circumstances, replacement of field staff, Ramazan, and the requirement to revise the sampling procedure. Effectively, this meant that in spring and summer 2011 fewer interviews were conducted than planned. The missing interviews were compensated in corresponding period in 2012. For this reason data collection was extended to August 2012. In addition to surveying the resident population during the entire survey period, the nomadic Kuchi population was accessed in winter and summer when they tend to stay put for some time.
Provinces that faced most security challenges were Kapisa, Paktya, Zabul, Logar, Wardak, Sar-e-Pul, Jawzjan, Helmand and Urozgan. In view of recurrent access problems a security strategy was developed. This strategy included mapping of insecure areas, security assessment in the field, consultation of relevant information sources (PSOs, NSP Regional Management Units, CDCs), and discussions and negotiations with relevant actors, such as governors, community leaders and Jahadi commanders. As a last resort insecure areas were replaced by more secure areas. The implementation of this strategy resulted in fewer replacements in the second and third survey quarters. The security situation in Zabul did not allow participation of female interviewers. Out of the 357 sampled districts and provincial centres of Afghanistan, in 342 (96 percent) information was collected, although in 35 (10 percent) fewer interviews were conducted than originally planned.