This chapter summarises the PRA Handbook, a guide to conducting participatory rural appraisals in Kenya. It explains the merits of PRA and briefly outlines the rationale and eight steps for carrying it out, from site selection to adopting and implementing a village resource management plan.
This chapter describes the application of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methodology to a community development initiative in Mbusyani sublocation, Kenya in 1988. The purpose of the study was to learn whether a multi-disciplinery team consisting of government officers, researchers, technical officers and community leaders could gather data, define problems, rank solutions and devise an integrated village plan for natural resources management in a relatively short time period, with substantial community participation.
This study investigates issues of gender and resource management in Siquijor island in the Philippines. A rapidly growing population, severe environmental degradation and declining economic growth means that rural women and men are often forced to make short-term decisions about managing natural resources which are not necessarily appropriate for the long-term sustainability of the resource base or of their families.
This report presents an overview of gender considerations in development and suggests analytical tools for development professionals in government, bilateral, international organisations and NGOs to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of project activities. Tools for gender analysis reveal how gender differences define people's rights, responsibilities and opportunities in resource management. The tools discussed include PRA methods as well as more conventional techniques.