Participatory methods in planning and political processes: linking the grass roots and policies for sustainable development.

The use of participatory methods has become increasingly popular in agricultural research and development and natural resource management. The development of these approaches is summarised. The range of approaches are being used at the grass roots level, in order to involve local citizens and groups in projects, is outlined, along with their advantages. Many of these activities remain peripheral and isolated from conventional development agencies and policies. However, recent efforts are evolving to link participatory approaches into wider planning and policy making processes and to increase the influence of such methods in resource management initiatives. The main lessons from these innovative participatory experiences in addressing policy issues for sustainable development are summarised, including the process changes, the roles of the actors involved and the strengthening of capacity.