Immersions: necessary or not?

Jim Leandro P. Cano

When it comes to development, I think the practice of immersing oneself with the ultimate
beneficiaries of development projects is critical. For one, a development manager cannot be
effective if s/he has no direct engagement, contact, knowledge and understanding of those who
s/he ought to serve. The reality of the poor and marginalized, which development projects usually
aim to address, cannot be dependent on what mainstream media poses alone. In fact, because
of the internet, especially social media, anybody can now take into account a development issue
and post online. This can quickly go around the web, or viral, and be a source of information for
many; not solely relying on what mainstream media can be biased in showing alone. However,
with such practices, there are still some caveats on relying on solely on what the web has to offer;
hence, the need for immersions to somehow ground-truth what has been stated in a research
output, or even how media might paint what certain cities or countries may be like. This can be
similar to what an author said that she grew up believing that a certain countryside town was
miserable, chaotic, and full of crime, because that was what the media portrayed that town to
be. When she grew up, she went to that town which she saw as a kid on TV only to find out that
it was not like what the media described it to be.
Reflection in relation to Field Study
In relation to our field study in Dolores, Quezon, it was good that we had some related literature
to study before going there. But, it was very different when we got there, especially for me. It
was my first time to meet people from a religious sect and really engage them in a discussion. It
was new for me too to meet a faith healer. Although we were not there during the Holy Week,
which I heard had many tourists, it is a new thing for me to be at a place that is visited for the
many religious activities that it has to offer.
It is very refreshing to hear from community members that they give more importance to
environmental protection than economic development. This was in the context of the banning
of going up to the peak of Mt. Banahaw, where economic activities experienced a decline.
However, the garbage was reduced in the mountain; and to them, this was more important. One
seldom finds a community that values the environment more than economic activities, especially
in the Philippines. Sometimes, environment is the price for progress. Roads constructed; trees
cut down. Residential, industrial and commercial development; farms converted.
Another aspect of the experience was the fact that the class chose to assess the effect of religious
tourism and development. This for me was new since I have never come across the idea or any
reading at all that looks into the relationship of the two. But after the immersion, I realized that
there is such a relationship. It is different when you stay with the community and see things for
yourself. I think it would have been better if there were two or three more days to go around and
observe more, as well as interact with other community members.
Reflection for the organization I lead
I like how the article describes the importance and the advantages of immersions, while including
the practical matters of preparing for one. As the Country Representative for the Philippine
Chapter of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development, conducting an immersion has been
a thing in my head for the longest time. After joining several conferences and traveling to other
countries to speak on the advocacy that the youth must be brought back to agriculture, I realized
that there has been so much of conferences in five-star hotels, buffet meals that talk a great deal
about zero hunger, eradication of poverty and food security. With that, not even mentioning the
possible cost of bringing all these scientists, academics, and development workers to the venue.
Yet, it makes me ask how much of us, who participate in such events, are really grounded, or has
had direct engagement with our target stakeholders – the farmers? Then I look at the
membership base of YPARD Philippines, and I think again, “Do we know the reality on the ground
of the lack of youth in agriculture? Have we talked to youth and why they do not want to go into
agriculture? What are their thoughts? What makes them see agriculture as a non-lucrative career
option?”
I have been toying around the thought of holding an immersion for the group, but have not really
thought out how to go about it. However, after reading this material, it made me realize that we
have to do it soon one way or another. In fact, I came up with a possible way to prepare the
immersion process already; considering also the notes from the material on how to prepare for
it. One thing that I piloted with my class in the Agricultural Systems Institute is a participatory
process called PhotoVoice. This enables a group of researchers to work with a community and let
the members of the community take pictures of their daily activities, especially the important
ones. The aim of the whole exercise is for pictures from the perspective of the target stakeholders
to be chosen during discussions among the facilitators and the respondents, and later on put on
an exhibit. In this exhibit, policymakers and other key persons from institutions that can help
effect change in the target community will be invited to view the photos and learn about the
stories behind the photos. This is done in the hopes that policies will be enacted or funding will
be made available to start development programs that will address salient issues highlighted.
I was then thinking of maybe blending the immersion with a PLA process as well as the
PhotoVoice. This will be for YPARD members to be on the ground, away from the nice cubicles in
an air-conditioned room, from the glamorous conferences, and really know, see, feel and
understand the target stakeholders. I think if we have more of our members from YPARD exposed
to this, there would be a greater motivation to push for the advocacies to have young people
strategically included in the development of Philippine agriculture. In this way, we would also
know what the current perspectives of the youth are and how we can possibly create programs
and projects that are tailored for them. We will have to enter into communities as learners and
not as ones with solutions at hand.