Swift, J.

This paper is based on socio-economic research on the Isiolo Livestock Development Programme in Kenya. It describes a ranking game which was played by the research team with the inhabitants of Isiolo. The game was based on a well-known and commonly played board game. The aim was to get groups of farmers to identify and rank their own problems, and then suggest ways of solving them. Even though the groups were entirely free to select their own problems and allocate their own priorities, a high degree of consensus emerged.

The report summarises the findings of research carried out during the first phase of the Isiolo Livestock Development Project (ILDP) in Kenya. The study focused mainly on the Boran herding population of Isiolo District, to provide information and proposals for development interventions in the second phase. Participatory methods, as well as more conventional approaches, were used during the fieldwork. The participatory methods used are described in Annex 2.