Chambers, Robert

Discusses some of the problems and opportunities presented by the increasing use of PRA on a large scale. Numerous examples are given of countries and organisations where PRA is being used on a large scale, and the trend looks set to continue. This presents dilemmas, particularly in the realm of quality assurance. Some of the shortcomings of scaling-up are discussed and suggestions are made of ways these can be overcome. The author presents his personal view of the options and the way ahead.

El modelo normal de transferencia de tecnologÝa (TDT) tiene prejuicios intrÝnsicos que favorecen a los agricultores con altos recursos. Un segundo modelo que estß surgiendo es el modelo del "agricultor primero y ·ltimo" (APU)que empieza y termina con la familia agrÝcola y su sistema de producci¾n.

This assessment of the current state of PRA opens with a discussion on the development of RRA and PRA from the 1970s. The key principles are highlighted in box 1, with emphasis in the text on facilitation, sharing and behaviour and attitudes. The differences between RRA an PRA are primarily ones of purpose, for example RRA is a way for outsiders to learn, while PRA refers to a process which empowers local people. PRA is spreading fast, and there is great potential and a huge number of opportunities.

This paper is the second in a three-part series examining participatory rural appraisal. It sets out to present and analyse the principles, insights, validity, reliability and modes of PRA, and to understand the nature of its power and popularity. The more significant principles of PRA concern the behaviour and attitudes of outsider facilitators, including not rushing, "handing over the stick", and being self-critically aware.

This paper is the first in a three-part series examining participatory rural appraisal. It outlines the origins, principles, approaches, methods and applications of PRA from a perspective in early 1994. PRA has sources in activist participatory research, agroecosystem analysis, applied anthropology, field research on farming systems, and rapid rural appraisal (RRA). The differences between RRA and PRA, and the usefulness of distinguishing between them are discussed.

This paper is the third in a three-part series examining participatory rural appraisal. It reviews some of the practical and theoretical questions which have been raised as the spread of PRA accelerates. PRA approaches and methods are analysed in terms of how they have spread, quality assurance, dangers, potentials and strategies, and paradigmatic significance. Rapid spread has made quality assurance a concern, with dangers from "instant fashion", rushing, formalism and ruts.

PRA is described as a growing family of approaches and methods to enable people to share, enhanse and analyses thier knowledge if life and conditions, to plan and act. Here, teh origins of PRA are discussed - its sources identified as activist participatory research, agroecosystem analysis, applied anthropology, farming systems field research, and RRA. The shift from RRA to PRA is related to the differences between extraction of information and sharing - with the emphasis on changes in ownership of the "results".

This article briefly outlines the evolution of PRA from RRA. The three foundations of PRA - methods; behaviour and attitudes; and sharing - are discussed. The article concludes with some thoughts on potential for the development of PRA in the 1990s in the areas of training and education, particularly in universities; among senior officials and academics, to bring them face-to-face with rural people; and enabling local people to take command of their resources and to determine what fits their needs.

This paper discusses wealth ranking and wellbeing ranking and describes, compares and contrasts them. The main advantage of wellbeing ranking is that wellbeing tends to be a less sensitive concept than wealth and therefore there is more likelihood of getting questions answered.

One of the first papers to outline the suitability and merits of rapid assessment techniques in measuring the performance of existing canal irrigation systems. This was a response to the growing need to find cost effective methods to make manageable demands on staff, and to identify implementable actions with early benefit. The experience of irrigation systems assessment using traditional and more innovative techniques are outlined.