This paper reports on applications of PRA by Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP India) in Bharuch District. It begins with notes on the use of secondary data in PRA, and the use of checklists of areas for investigation to give the PRA focus. Eight sections describe the uses of various methods, their benefits and limitations, describing how AKRSP's application of the methods has changed over time, generally towards increased participation by villagers. These sections cover mapping, wealth ranking, transects, group discussions, household contacts, seasonality, timeline and Venn diagrams. Analysis and presentation are now also done by villagers. AKRSP's experience with PRA in planning and as a means of increasing participation are outlined. Extension volunteers play a key role in this. There are also sections on changing uses of materials in participatory exercises, overnight camps, micro-planning, duration of PRA exercises, and demonstration exercises. The paper ends by comparing RRA and PRA.
Interest groups:
This paper may interest trainers and fieldworkers alike.
Pages:
12p.