Afforestation, Participation, Participatory Rural Appraisal

This paper discusses the change in the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme's (AKRSP)'s approach to wasteland development projects. Previously, areas were planted with trees with the participation of locals. However, after afforestation, locals took no further interest in the trees. It was later recognised that local preferences for certain tree species had not been considered, but that AKRSP had decided species on the basis of its own 'professional' advice. This is explained by analogy with the Indian national planning effort of the 1950s, which despite delivering many benefits did not achieve the people's active interest. Since the late 1980s, AKRSP has adopted R/PRA to address this situation. The topical application of PRA methods (including mapping, transects, group discussions) to wasteland development is discussed, using examples from AKRSP's experience.