For instance, the duration of a cold period, or the appearance of mist or dew, or the position of the cluster of stars, all signal a variation from a locally determined norm. It was interesting to discuss with local people the indicators of change in their environment that they perceived could be associated with, or affect, food security in their area in some way. An important observation during the progress of this study was that the communities are undergoing a significant transition. The younger groups confidently associated themselves with areas related to lightning and thunder, type and location of clouds, dates and months of the year, and wind direction, all which seem to be related to the modern practice of predicting weather conditions in any community. An interesting finding of this study, corroborated in our discussions with local people, suggests that none of the indicators is reliable enough to be used individually to predict or monitor the environmental conditions that affect their food security.
Households often take risks in their decisions.
Moreover, communities attach different values to different indicators, with some being considered more reliable than others. The types of plants found on a piece of land were identified as the most reliable indicator of soil fertility in both communities. A number of key characteristics might be considered. The indicators must be reliable and predictive in determining changes in the environment and in predicting the outcome of household behavior. Clearly, on the basis of the preliminary findings presented here, it is evident that grassroots indicators are relevant as alternative indicators for the monitoring and evaluation of food and nutrition issues at the household and community level.