Document Actions
Consumption/calendar year
Q. Sometimes it is easier for interviewees to remember the household economy data from the reference year based on their local calendar year rather than based on the consumption year. If this is the case, then there may be issues of accounting for stocks from the previous consumption year and losing some stocks from the year under scrutiny. How can this be dealt with?
A. This is a fairly rare occurrence. But you should use the consumption year regardless, because it simply becomes too complicated otherwise. Try to use visual RRA tools (such as seasonal calendars) to help interviewees square the calendar year with the reference year, or work with local informants to make up a flip chart with visual symbols representing months or seasons starting from the harvest onwards to help foster a common reference point in the interviews.
