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This paper argues that local perceptions of poverty have tended to be used as mere additions to more conventional poverty assessments because not only do people's perceptions of poverty differ making it difficult to compare results across locations but also, little is known about how to aggregate these local perceptions to be able to estimate overall levels of poverty at regional and national levels. Work carried out in Honduras to test a methodology designed to overcome these constraints is reported on step by step in the document.

The effects of Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and the subsequent 10 years' worth of rain which fell in five days brought environmental and agricultural devastation to Central America. World Neighbors (WN) had worked for many years on the promotion of soil and water conservation; the hurricane provided an opportunity for WN to study the effectiveness of this work in combating the disastrous effects of a potentially destructive climate and this newsletter gives details their work. They decided to carry out Participatory Action Research (PAR), a level of study which not only allowed the involvement of those most greatly affected by the climate - the local people - but other participants who expanded their own knowledge through the research methods and results. The system used was a pairing of plots with similar characteristics such as location and vegetation, but which provided a sharing of data through a direct comparison of agro-ecological and conventional cultivation. Other organizations were invited to participate in the study and form teams with the farmers, and all participants attended a workshop to learn methodologies. The methods used to analyse different variables such as slope, top soil thickness, texture, organic matter, insect and animal life, vegetation, erosion, landslides, and conservation practices are detailed along with the findings and lessons learned.

Esta edici¾n de En Acci¾n de la organizaci¾n Vecinos Mundiales se concentra en los efectos del huracßn Mitch en 1998 y los 10 years' de lluvia que baj¾ en cinco dÝas trajo la devastaci¾n ambiental y agrÝcola a AmÚrica Central. Los Vecinos Mundiales habÝan trabajado por muchos a±os en la promoci¾n de la conservaci¾n del suelo y del agua; el huracßn proporcion¾ una oportunidad para estudiar la eficacia de este trabajo en combatir los efectos desastrosos de un clima potencialmente destructivo y este boletÝn de noticias da a detalles su trabajo. DecidÝan realizar Investigaci¾n Acci¾n Participativa (IAP), un nivel del estudio que permita no solamente la implicaci¾n de Úsos lo mßs afectados por el clima - la gente local û pero tambiÚn otros participantes que ampliaron su propio conocimiento de los mÚtodos y los resultados de la investigaci¾n. El sistema usado era un apareamiento de lo parcelas de tierras con caracterÝsticas similares tales como sitio y vegetaci¾n, pero que proporcionaron el comparte de datos con una comparaci¾n directa de la cultivaci¾n agro-ecol¾gica y lo convencional. Se invit¾ a otras organizaciones de participar en el estudio y formar equipos con los granjeros, y todos los participantes atendieron a un taller para aprender las metodologÝas. Los mÚtodos usados para analizar diversas variables tales como vertiente, grueso del suelo superior, textura, materia orgßnica, insectos y animales, vegetaci¾n, erosi¾n, derrumbamientos de tierra, y prßcticas de la conservaci¾n son detallados junto con los resultados y las lecciones aprendidos.