ABSTRACT
An operational premise of this study was that local researchers were to remain agnostic about possible effects of adjustment programs and causalities of environmental problems until all evidence had been gathered. It should be made clear, however, that organization of the research program was not a value-free endeavor. Specifically, each aspect of the project’s organization and implementation required weighing a series of trade-offs that could influence, to one degree or another, the emphasis and potential outputs of the research. Lest the reader harbor doubts, this introductory note summarizes the major issues that had to be resolved.
